Whispers of Darkness
by Alatariel Sirenial
Summary: Link is sent back in time without his memories. Now he is being hunted by rogue Gerudo for an unknown purpose. Joined by a mysterious sorceress, he must remember a lost time and uncover his forgotten past before it is too late.
1. Prologue and Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER**I do not own The Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. Leigh, Leena, Keman, Aiden, Rhiannon, and several other characters are figments of my imagination.** AUTHOR'S NOTE: This fan fiction is based on the events of Ocarina of Time, and takes place after Zelda has sent Link back in time, assuming that he has lost his memories. To clear up any confusion later on, in this story Hylian refers to the race of people (not all Hylians are from Hyrule)and Hyrulian refers to someone from Hyrule. I'm new at this, so please read and review. I'd appreciate it. Thanks: ) ~Alatariel Sirenial~  
PROLOGUE  
  
She lay in her bed in a tightly curled ball, desperately clutching her blankets around her tense form. Flimsy though they were, the linen bedclothes gave her a feeling of security. They were familiar, in a world where everything else had been turned upside down. And they smelled faintly of her mother.  
  
He's going to kill me.  
  
She shivered and pulled the covers closer to her skin. He was looking for her, and when he found her.. Her mother had been the only thing keeping her safe, and now she was gone.  
  
Mama, why did you leave me all alone? I'm scared. He's going to kill me.  
  
She thought back to the day before. Everything had been so different. The sun had shone down brightly on the Queen, Princess, and a small group of the Royal Guard. They had just left the small village where she and her mother had gone to visit her aunt. She had been happy that only she and her mother had gone. Her father and brother had stayed back at the castle. She had been riding on the front of her mother's horse, a beautiful roan mare, leaning back against her mother. The day was warm and a sweet wind was blowing, carrying with it the songs of birds.  
"Look, Leena!" her mother had exclaimed. "It's a fairy! They are very rare, and are almost never seen. They say that if you see a fairy, you get to make a wish, and that wish will come true. Make a wish, sweetheart, but don't tell anyone what you wish for, because then it won't come true," the Queen said, smiling at her little daughter. The girl was mesmerized by the tiny winged ball of light hovering beside their trotting horse, easily keeping up with them. Within the glow, she could see a very small girl. The fairy giggled, then flew off. The girl made her wish.  
  
I wish for all of us to be happy.and safe.  
  
She added safe as an afterthought. She had heard her parents talking about something called the Great War. It was a big war happening in the land across the sea. It had yet to reach their kingdom, but the warring land was only three days from here by boat, so it didn't hurt to wish for safety.  
The small party had ridden all day, stopping to rest and eat at nightfall. At dawn, they awoke to find that the clear sky had filled with dark clouds. They rode quickly without stopping to avoid the coming storm. Instead of growing lighter, the day grew darker, storm clouds chasing the riders across the sky.  
When they were an hour from their destination, the storm struck. Driving rain came down in bullets. Lightning flashed and thunder roared. The party quickened their pace. They had been minutes from the castle when it happened. A bolt of lightning forked across the sky, shattering the heavens into a thousand pieces. In that brief flash of light, the Guard had spotted dark figures approaching them at a run. The riders had stopped, swords had been drawn, and the little girl and her mother had been forced into the center of the protective ring formed by the soldiers. The girl was frightened, but curious nonetheless. She stared out into the darkness, but had seen nothing. Then the figures had reached them.  
They had fought viciously with the guards, killing several outright. The girl could see them now. She saw people, both men and women, clothed in bodysuits of blue and red. Many had their faces covered. On the chests of most uniforms there was an eye. That eye scared her. Suddenly, a young man had broken into the circle. His face had been uncovered. Wet blond hair was plastered to his skull; his long bangs were blown away from his face by the wind. But the Princess had cared nothing for his face. It was his eyes that held her. They were bright red, the color of fresh blood. Those eyes frightened her more than anything she had ever seen.  
She had felt a hand on her shoulder as her mother pushed her away and drew a long dagger. Even then her mother had protected her. The warrior fought the Queen, who looked to be the same age as him. Their blades had come together again and again until they had stopped, locked together. Before they young woman could move her blade, the warrior drew a long dagger from a sheath at his wrist and stabbed her in the chest and stomach. As she had watched her mother fall to the ground the girl heard the warrior give an indiscernible cry, causing the fighters to run off and disappear into the night. She had run to her mother's side, panicked.  
"Mama! Mama? Are you okay? Mama?" The woman had risen up on her elbows and looked her daughter in the eyes sadly.  
"Leena, I'm not coming back to the castle with you. You can't see me anymore, so we have to say good-bye." The girl shook her head.  
"But why, Mama? Why can't you come back?" Her mother had a pained expression on her face: she didn't want to explain what had happened to her daughter.  
"Because I'm hurt, Leena. Very badly. I will leave soon. I don't want to leave, but I have to."  
"I can make you better! With magic!" She put her hands on her mother's arm and concentrated.  
  
Please. Make her better. Please..  
  
That was the way her magic worked. She asked it to do something, and if it could, it did. Light had flowed from around her palms, going to her mother's wounds. The Queen and the Royal Guard were shocked to see the bleeding stop. Her magic spent, the little girl had fallen into her mother's lap.  
When she had woken up, she was in the castle, sitting beside her mother. They were waiting for the King to come in. A messenger had been sent to find him only seconds before she woke up.  
"Leena, I owe you my life. I would be dead were it not for your magic. I am proud of you," her mother had said. "But you must not tell your father of this. You know how he feels about magic."  
"But, Mama," the child said, "Magic that makes people better is good magic. It's not sour.sarce.um.." Her mother had smiled.  
"Sorcery, dear." The girl nodded.  
"Uh-huh. And Papa only hates sorcery. And it's not." The Queen shook her head sadly.  
"No dear, your father will not understand." The woman had looked down then and had seen that her wounds had started to bleed again, this time much faster. It was as though the magic had been damming the blood up, and now that the dam was gone, the blood was making up for lost time. The Queen tried to stand up, but fell instead to the floor in a faint.  
"Mama?!" the girl had screamed. "Mama!! Wake up!!" Just then, the King had come through the door.  
"Liarra!" he cried, seeing his wife on the floor and running to her. "Liarra? Can you hear me? Say something!" He knelt beside his wife and felt her wrist for a pulse, dropping it seconds later. "She's gone," he said softly. "How did this happen?" he had asked, to no one in particular. The messenger answered anyway.  
"Attacked by Sheikah, Majesty. They may have been assassins, or merely political upstarts."  
"Sheikah," the king breathed. "Damn them." He turned to the messenger. "You told me that she was doing well, and yet I come in to find her mortally wounded. Just what do you think is 'doing well'?"  
"Well, Majesty," the messenger had sputtered. The King had a volatile temper and a great fondness for executions. "When I left to fetch you, she was doing well. You see, the Princess used a spell that stopped the bleeding and-" He was cut off by the King.  
"A spell?" he inquired, turning on his daughter, his face furious. "What have I told you about magic?" he had asked, his voice dangerously quiet. The girl had felt herself beginning to shake, and tried to straighten herself under her father's glare.  
"But it was good magic Papa! I didn't hurt nobody! I was helping-"  
"Silence!" the King had roared, and the girl had fallen silent. "How dare you contradict me?! Didn't hurt anyone, you say? Look what you have done. Your mother is dead because of you!" The girl's eyes had filled with tears. She tried to stop them, knowing that her punishment would be worse if she cried, but she had not been able to. Unable to stop the tears, she had abandoned all composure and crumpled to the floor, sobs wracking her body.  
"I'll deal with you later," her father said quietly. "Stay here until I come back." With that, he had stridden out of the room, the frightened messenger at his heels. The girl had listened as his footsteps echoed down the hallway until they could no longer be heard, then she had risen and run to her room. And now here she was.  
She gathered her courage and sat up in the bed, preparing to leave. She would escape from the castle and get on one of those huge wooden monsters that floated on the sea. But she was stopped as she caught sight of her reflection in her mirror. Chest-length black hair, straggly and matted from the rain, framed a pale white face, two pointed ears poking out from beneath it. And out of that face stared frightened purple eyes. Purple eyes. Fey-eyes, like a witch, a sorceress. She looked nothing like her parents. She didn't even look like her twin brother. She had a slight hint of her mother's face, but no one had black hair and purple eyes. Kreeb, her father's oily adviser, had managed to convince the King that his daughter was cursed, that she was a witch. It had ruined everything. Ever since that day, her brother had been her father's favorite. He had never trusted her. He had never loved her..  
It didn't matter now. She had to leave, before he found her. She crept out into the hall and carefully made her way towards the stairs. She had made it only a few steps before she was stopped by a voice.  
"Going somewhere, little one?" crackled an ancient voice. The Princess turned to see an old hag dressed in black and gold robes, and red jewel in a headband on her forehead. Her grey hair was pulled back behind the band. The woman was very short, and slightly hunched over, a huge nose protruding from between two beady black eyes.  
"No need to be afraid, I shant hurt you." The witch slowly hobbled over to where the young girl was standing. "My name is Koume. Now, don't gape at me like that, I'm here to help you. Be a good little girl and come with me. I'll help you escape." The girl backed up a step.  
"I.I'm not going anyplace. Leave me alone!" She turned to run, but the old woman grabbed her arm and turned the child to face her.  
"I've tried being kind, but it doesn't seem to work with you. You're coming with me. You must! If you stay here, you shall die." The young girl stopped struggling. The witch was right.  
"Tell me your name."  
"Leena." The woman smiled.  
"You would do well to remember that, Leena. Where we are going, you will receive another name. Darkness is all you will see for a long time. Remember your name, for it will be the sole light in your darkness. Never forget who you are, or you will be lost. Now come." The child stared at the old woman, not sure what she had been talking about. All she knew was that she needed to remember her name. She was confused. The woman had said she would help her escape, but they were not moving. Suddenly, the air around them grew hot and red, as though flames were engulfing them. The child gasped as the walls of her home disappeared, replaced by red light. Seconds later, the light faded and the girl was amazed at what she saw.  
Sand-colored walls, carved by the wind, surrounded her. Course tan sand covered the canyon floor. Directly in front of her towered an immense stone fortress that seemed to have been hewn from the canyon wall. Several purple-garbed figures stood on walkways on the fortress, holding spears. Everything was silent under the star-filled sky. The witch put her arm on the girl's shoulder.  
"Welcome to Hyrule."  
  
**DISCLAIMER**I do not own The Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. Leigh, Leena, Keman, Aiden, Rhiannon, and several other characters are figments of my imagination.** CHAPTER 1  
  
It's raining. I can hear it ruthlessly pounding the sides of the house; I can see it running down the windows on the floor below me, distorting and obscuring the world outside. Not that I could see outside if it was clear: it's pitch-black out there. I turn to look at the clock downstairs, barely visible in the flickering light of a low-burning candle on the table beside it. It's 3 hours past midnight. I've been 17 for 3 hours. Happy birthday.  
I'm lying on a straw mat in the loft-like upper room of the house. The loft only takes up half of the building, so one can easily see down to the first floor. There are stairs leading down to the bottom floor along the right wall. There is a small table with one chair against the left wall, Neal lying with his head under it, snoring loudly. I can hear his mother downstairs snoring as well, albeit more quietly. I grin; Neal must get it from her.  
Neal and his mother took me in when I was twelve. I've lived with them ever since. Neal's father died when Neal was five, and I never knew my parents, so we can relate to each other. Neal is like the brother I never had. We've been through a lot together: playing tricks on everyone in town, making sure Malon never gets her chores done, working for Dampé. It's only been 5 years, less than a third of my life, yet I feel like I've been here forever.. Goddess, Neal snores loudly. I sit up and draw my knees to my chest, since there is no way I'm getting back to sleep. It's ironic, really. The only time I'm allowed to sleep in, and I wake up when it's still dark out. Oh well, I'm up now.  
I grab my forest-green tunic and pull it over my head, then grope around in the darkness for my hat. I find it put it on, and reach out for my boots. There's one.but the other one is missing. Again. I pull my one boot on and, on a hunch, crawl to the edge of the upper floor and look down into the room below. Sure enough, there's my boot, next to the bottom of the staircase. I must have kicked it down there when I was sleeping. Personally, I think ledges like this are dangerous. When I was thirteen, I broke my arm when I fell out of this loft while having a nightmare. Needless to say I never slept that close to the edge again.  
I reach into the pouch I always carry and take out the fairy ocarina Saria gave me back when I lived in Kokiri Forest. when I thought I was a Kokiri.. I stop myself there. It hurts to think about my time in Kokiri Forest, too much to dwell on, so I just try to forget about it as I creep downstairs. Once on the bottom floor, I creep over to where my rogue boot landed, pull it on, and silently make my way out the door and into the rain.  
The rain isn't coming down in bullets; it feels almost sluggish, but there is plenty of it. I've barely taken three steps out the door and I am already soaked. If I wasn't awake before, I am now. I make my way past the potion shop and down some stairs, squinting to make out the village in the darkness. Kakariko is smaller than Castle Town, but I prefer it anyway. Everything seems to go more slowly here; no one is ever really in a rush. The village is also removed from the bustle of town life. Not many people live here, so everyone knows everyone else. We may not all like each other, but we know each other at least. As I pass the well my destination, a small fenced-in pen, comes into view: Anju's cuckoo pen. As I step over the fence, I smile to myself: all the cuckoos are huddled under a small thatch overhang. For once, I don't think they'll be running away today.  
I sit down on the fence, not even bothering to try and squeeze under the overhang. After all, there is no room and I am already as wet as I can possibly get. I lift my ocarina to my lips and Saria's Song drifts out into the village. The rain has an odd muffling effect on the notes, enhancing the feeling that I am isolated in my own little world. My song won't wake anyone up.  
I've been playing for some time when the wind picks up, blowing the rain into my face. I look up to see a figure looming in front of me and give a start, falling backwards off the fence. I rush to get up, cursing myself for not bringing my bow with me. I stand and hurl myself at the figure, not giving whomever it is the chance to attack, but forgetting one little thing: the fence. I trip over it and fall clumsily into my assailant, who has braced himself for the impact as though he was expecting this. Even so, when we collide he stumbles back a step, the wind knocked out of him.  
"Nice to see you too, Link." I stop mid-punch. I'd know that voice anywhere.  
"Keman!" I cry, pushing him away from me. "Why did you do that? I practically had a heart attack!" The Sheikah smirks, an unusual thing for the straight-faced race. Apparently, their features are only set in stone around people who aren't close friends.  
"For the same reason you jumped me in the graveyard last week. What was it you said? 'Because I thought it would be fun.'"  
"You're lucky I didn't have my bow with me," I reply ruefully. Keman's face straightens into his normal unreadable look.  
"I knew you wouldn't arm yourself just to go play that sissy flute of yours during a rainstorm in the middle of the night. You'd probably never bring your bow with you anywhere unless Neal reminded you to," he says with painful practicality. "By the way, what were you doing out here anyway? Do you usually come out here in the middle of the night?" I shrug.  
"I couldn't sleep, and my ocarina isn't sissy just because you can't play it. Besides, do you think a harp is any better?" I expect a clever answer, but all I get is a confused stare.  
"I don't play a harp, Link. I don't have a musical bone in my body. You know that." He's right. Keman doesn't play an instrument. But I seem to remember knowing a Sheikah who plays the harp. That's impossible, though, because Keman is the only Sheikah I know. right?  
"Maybe I should go back to sleep." Keman nods.  
"That might be a good idea. Do you think Karina would mind if I came back to the house with you?" he asks. I shake my head.  
"Karina's generous. I'm sure she won't mind. Just make sure you don't wake anyone up."  
"Don't worry about me," he says, grinning. "I'm a Sheikah remember? We don't make noise." I roll my eyes. We make our way back to the house, the rain coming down as hard as ever. Once we're inside and out of the rain, Keman sits down next to the door and closes his eyes.  
"Link, wake me up in two hours, all right?" he asks without opening his eyes.  
"Sure," I answer, going to sit at the foot of the stairs. Since I'm here, I might as well try to get some sleep. I close my eyes and listen to the rain pounding on the roof. It sounds as though it may be letting up. Over by the door, Keman's breathing has become slow and regular; he's asleep. On the opposite wall, the clock begins to chime the hour. One. two. three. four..  
  
I'm standing in a cold room illuminated by several torches in sconces on the grey stone walls. The ceiling is lost in darkness. In the torchlight I can make out deep grooves carved into the floor forming a symbol I recognize: the Triforce.  
A noise causes me to direct my attention to the far wall. A Gerudo in a black uniform stands there, looking at herself in a small hand mirror. After scrutinizing her reflection for several more seconds, she sets the mirror down, turns to look at me and smiles, white teeth flashing. I am reminded of a wolfos.  
"I have been waiting for you, Hero of Time." She starts toward me and I become suddenly aware of the scimitar at her waist. The voice in my head is screaming at me to get out. I look around frantically but the only door is barred. I'm trapped.  
Meanwhile, the Gerudo is still approaching, taking her time. She knows I'm not going anywhere. As she draws closer, she draws her scimitar and suddenly leaps at me, knocking me to the floor and impaling me. I make a futile attempt to pull the blade from my stomach, but the Gerudo just grins and pushes it in further.  
" 'The blood of he that hath slain thee shall set thee free once more,'" she recites, her eyes burning. Her eyes.they're very strange. They seem to be forever changing color, as though they can't decide what to be. The floor beneath me, soaked with my blood, begins to burn and the room fills with white light. The Gerudo's eyes are still changing. Gold, green, purple, red..  
Red. Red eyes are staring down at me now. A man with embers for eyes glares down at me. There is a different blade inside of me now. It's straight, not a scimitar, and the gold hilt is dripping with rubies. It's not just a different sword; it's a different place entirely. I'm outside, in a meadow surrounded by earthen walls. It's familiar. I know now. This is Saria's secret place. But what am I doing here?  
My attacker sneers at me and wrenches out his sword, sending pain tearing through me. I'm too weak to cry out. My vision blurs, and everything goes black..  
  
"Link!" I awake with a start and turn to see Neal kneeling beside me, a hand on my shoulder.  
"That must have been some nightmare. I've never heard you scream like that before. How did you get all the way down here, anyway? You didn't fall, did you?" He takes in my tunic, boots, and hat. "What's with the get- up? You don't usually sleep with your shoes on, do you?" I shake my head.  
"No, I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk." Neal beams.  
"HA! I have a confession!!" he cries triumphantly. As I give him a puzzled look, his mother crosses over to us from behind the stairs.  
"Link, dear, could you leave a note next time? I woke up to find you gone and thought that you had left us. I was worried." The one thing that sometimes bothers me about living here is that Karina is far too overprotective of me. I'm not her son; I'm just a border, and if I want to take off in the middle of the night and never come back, then I should be allowed to do it without guilt. I can't believe I just thought that. I'm a horrible, ungrateful pig. I'm not a border. Karina lets me live here free of charge, even though I've offered to pay her. I can at least let her know where I am. I owe her that much.  
"Sorry, Karina. I'll leave a note next time." She smiles.  
"Thank you." She turns to Neal. "Nealan, shouldn't you get ready? Link's already dressed, and I thought you two were going to Lon Lon Ranch."  
  
"Oh, right." Neal rushes upstairs to get dressed.  
"Lon Lon Ranch?" says a voice from the door. Keman's awake. "Mind if I tag along?" I shake my head.  
"No, go right ahead." I say it nonchalantly, but I'm glad to have Keman coming with us. Malon, whose father owns the ranch, is Neal's girlfriend, and Neal will be acting lovey-dovey all day. I need someone in his right mind to help me bother the happy couple and keep them acting relatively normal.  
"Ready!" Neal calls as he rushes down the stairs. As Neal, Keman, and I head out the door, Karina calls after us.  
"Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" Neal turns his head to answer her.  
"We're fine, Mom. We're eating at the ranch."  
"All right. Have a nice time then. Oh, and Link, happy birthday!"  
"Thanks," I say, and close the door. The rain has stopped, but the clouds still loom overhead and we still have a pretty miserable walk ahead of us. It's only about six o'clock, so no one is outside just yet. We hurry through town, cross the bridge, and head out onto Hyrule Field. We walk quickly, wanting to get to the ranch as soon as possible. The ground is sodden and dark, pitted with deep puddles. We skirt around them, staying on what little grass there is whenever possible. After an hour of walking, we enter Lon Lon Ranch.  
The three of us approach the main house. Neal knocks on the door and it opens almost instantaneously.  
"Hi! You're here!" Malon stands in the doorway, beaming, her blue eyes sparkling. Her waist-length red hair flies out behind her as she practically rushes into Neal, hugging him and giving him a peck on the cheek.  
"I missed you, Neal," she says sweetly. too sweetly.  
"I missed you, too," Neal answers, not catching her tone. Malon's smile evaporates as punches him in the stomach.  
"Then why haven't you come to visit me?!" she cries angrily. Neal steps back nervously, holding his hands in front of him to block any other attacks.  
"Um, well, I. I've been busy." Malon looks at him skeptically.  
"I'm sure you have. with that Anju girl!" Neal blanches.  
"Malon! I would never-"  
"Save it," Malon says cutting him off. "Really, Neal. If you don't shape up I'll- hey, fairy boy," she interrupts herself, smiling coyly and winking at me. I smile back: I see what Malon is doing. She's punishing Neal by making him think she's going to run off with someone else. She loves to scare him like this. Normally, it might seem a little cruel, but Neal hasn't come to see her in three weeks. Girls get really temperamental about stuff like that. And anyway, scaring Neal is fun.  
Malon purposefully steps around Neal with her back completely to him, flicking her head slightly so that her hair hits him in the face.  
"Malon," Neal tries, "I-" Malon saunters away from him and over to me, taking a few steps sideways so Neal can see her face.  
"So, Link, it's your birthday today, right?" Malon asks, fluttering her eyelashes. I think she's overdoing it a bit.  
"Yeah," I answer, wondering where she's going with this.  
"And how old are you?"  
"Seventeen." Malon raises her eyebrows.  
"Wow, seventeen. Well, fairy boy, I got you two presents for your seventeenth birthday. One's a surprise, and you can't have it yet. I want to build up the suspense. But you can have the other one right now," she says, smiling, tilting her head down and looking up through her lashes. I see her cast a quick glance at Neal to see if he's been punished enough yet. Obviously not, because she keeps going.  
"You want your present?" I know what she's talking about now. It started out as a cute gesture and became a bit of a tradition. I had been living at Lon Lon when my eleventh birthday came around. Malon had felt bad that no one had gotten me anything, so she gave me a "kiss for good luck". She's given me a kiss for my birthday ever since.  
Neal knows about the kissing thing, so I look over to see if he has realized what Malon is talking about yet. He and Malon have been going out for three years, and it has only bothered him to the point where he sulks off until Malon kisses him too. Of course, their kiss is always a lot more involved than the traditional peck on the lips I always get, which is understandable. But now I'm not so sure.  
Suddenly, it dawns on Neal and he starts looking sulky. He tries to catch Malon's eye, but she ignores him, so he settles for glaring at me. I can read his look pretty well: "kiss her and I will kill you". Too bad for Neal I'm better at fighting than he is. Malon looks at me expectantly.  
"Well?" she says, and then she asks straight out. "Do you want me to kiss you or not?" I smile.  
"Sure." I pull Malon close and she kisses me really hard. It goes on for about a minute, all the while me thinking Wow, she must be really mad at Neal. Eventually Malon pulls away.  
"Happy birthday." Then she turns to Neal. "Well?" Neal sighs.  
"I'll visit you more often."  
"Once a week."  
"Once a week? Malon, I don't know if I can-" Malon crosses her arms, and Neal sighs again. "Fine. I'll visit you once a week."  
"Thank you!!" Malon says, immediately brightening.  
"Malon," calls a male voice from inside the house. It's definitely not Talon, who is Malon's father, or Ingo, who works at the ranch. The four of us turn towards the door. There is a Sheikah standing in the doorway. His face and head are covered, revealing only his red eyes and some blond hair.  
  
I'm standing in a stone room. It looks like the inside of a temple. There is a platform with six symbols on it, and a marble pedestal coming from it in the center of the room. The pedestal has a slit in it a Triforce symbol on it. The red-eyed Sheikah stands on the platform, facing me.  
"I am Sheik," he says, "Survivor of the Sheikah."  
  
The Sheikah, Sheik, judging by that vision, is outside now, saying something to Malon.  
"So we are understood?" Sheik asks. Malon nods. "Very well. You mustn't tell him anything. Remember that." Malon nods again, looking uneasy, and then seems to remember the rest of us.  
"Oh, how rude of me. I forgot to introduce everyone," Malon says, turning to us. I am still dazed and shaking slightly from the vision. "Everyone, this is-"  
"Sheik," I say numbly, interrupting her. Everyone looks surprised, but Sheik has something besides surprise in his eyes. It looks almost like. hope.  
"Um, yes," Malon says, confused. "Do you two know each other?" Sheik doesn't answer. He looks at me, waiting for my answer, as though unsure of his own.  
"No," I say. Behind his marble features, Sheik looks slightly crestfallen. "We haven't." Malon looks back and forth between the two of us, confused. Maybe she's caught on to Sheik's disappointment.  
"Um, well," she stammers, "I guess it was a lucky guess."  
"Yes.." Sheik says nodding. He notices Keman for the first time and nods at him.  
"Keman." Keman nods back.  
"Sheik. What are you doing out here? I though you were training with Impa." Sheik shakes his head.  
"I had an important errand to run." He turns to us. "Good-bye. Nice meeting you all." He turns and walks away, but not before meeting my eyes for a few seconds. That guy is starting to freak me out.  
"Well," Neal says, "that was interesting." He turns to Malon. "Hey, Malon, who was that guy? Weren't you just saying something about being faithful to each other? Well, what did he want?" Malon gives Neal an annoyed look.  
"His name is Sheik, and he just showed up an hour ago. I have never seen him before in my life. As for what he wanted, well," Malon pauses, "I'm not allowed to say. It is not anything bad, but no one must know of it." Now it's Neal's turn to look skeptical.  
"Right. Sounds like an affair to me." Malon glares at him and gives an aggravated sigh.  
"Neal!" Neal pretends to sulk and looks offended.  
"Well, what am I supposed to think?" Malon sighs.  
"Fine, Neal, you win. I shouldn't have overreacted like that." Neal's smile widens into a huge grin.  
"What was that? I didn't hear you."  
"I said 'you win'." Malon says. Neal continues, gloating.  
"I win? As in, I was right? So, that would make you.wrong, wouldn't it?" Malon glares at him.  
"You're pushing it, Neal."  
"Oh, am I?" Malon throws her hands in the air.  
"I don't have time for this." She turns to Keman and I, who have been trying very hard not to laugh through this whole ordeal. "You two follow me. We're going to eat breakfast. Just leave the idiot out here. It won't notice if we're gone," she says, turning and entering the main house. Keman and I look at each other and then follow Malon, leaving Neal to catch up. He takes his time coming after us, trying to remain dignified.  
"That was cold, Malon," he says after following us into the building. Malon ignores him and goes to a crate in a corner of the room. Neal comes over to stand next to me.  
"Why do I bother?" he whispers under his breath. I shake my head.  
"I told you girls were nothing but trouble." He gives me a skeptical look.  
"You did not. And you're only saying that now because you're seventeen and you still haven't had a single girlfriend. Jealous, I'll bet. I guess I'm the better looking one after all."  
"I have too had a girlfriend."  
"Really? Name one."  
"Malon." Neal still looks skeptical.  
"Yeah? For how long?" I look sheepish.  
"Two weeks."  
"Wow," Neal says, grinning again, ",long time, eh?" His grin disappears. "What happened, anyway?" I shrug.  
"We both got so sick of each other, we couldn't take it."  
"Somehow I'm not surprised."  
Malon comes back, interrupting our conversation. "Here you go. Drink up," she says, handing each of us a bottle of Lon Lon milk. Neal gives his bottle a shocked look, and then looks up at Malon.  
"This is it?" he asks. "A bottle of milk? You know, we turned down breakfast because we thought we were eating here."  
"You are. Now drink it. It'll fill you up." Neal grudgingly obeys. Keman and I are already finished. When Neal is done, the four of us go outside and head for the corral that takes up the majority of the ranch. As we approach the corral's open gate, I take in our surroundings. The early morning sun has yet to burn away the mist from last night's rain. Sunbeams slant through the vapor, turning it to gold. A light breeze stirs the golden mist, sending it swirling through the air. Small beads of dew cling to blades of grass, shining like jewels. It looks almost magical.  
I shake my head. I've always been a sucker for a pretty landscape. We are walking through the gates now. The gates have these metal disks on them, and it looks as though they bore an image that has long been worn away. I know it's strange, but I've always thought that the barely-there image sort of looks like Ingo. Malon's voice breaks through my thoughts.  
"So what do you want to do?" No one answers. "Well?"  
"Archery?" I suggest. The suggestion is met with nods of agreement, so Malon and Neal run off to get the archery targets and Malon's bow, leaving Keman and I alone. We stand in silence for a few minutes before Keman turns to me.  
"How did you know Sheik's name if you've never met him before?" he asks suddenly. The question catches me off guard.  
"Um, I'm not sure, really," I say. For some reason I'm reluctant to tell Keman about that vision. "Lucky guess, I suppose." I can tell from Keman's look that he doesn't believe me, but at least he doesn't pry any further. After a moment, I ask him, "Who is Sheik, anyway?" Keman looks like he is thinking carefully. I can't help but get the feeling that he is deciding what and what not to tell me.  
" No one really knows that much about him. He spends all his time with Impa, our leader. He has magic, you see, and Impa is teaching how to use it. Or was teaching him, anyway. He surpassed her in skill long ago. Why he still hangs around with her remains a mystery. In case you were wondering," he says, seeing the question in my eyes, "I don't know why he came here today. Lately he's been acting very strangely." I nod. Malon and Neal are coming back, so I push Sheik from my mind. I have to concentrate on beating everyone at archery.  
  
"Great shot, Malon!" The score stands with and me and Neal at 220, Keman with 190, and Malon completely out of it with 150. Malon has just fired a pretty poor shot into her target's outermost ring and Neal is trying to make her feel better. Malon is actually a pretty good archer: she usually hits the center five times out of ten. Today she's just a little off. She fires another shot. Scratch that; she's way off. Malon fires her last arrow, retrieves it and her other five from the target, and goes to stand next to Keman, who is also done. We're having a final round before it gets dark, and Neal and I still have to shoot.  
Neal steps up to the shooting line and looses his first arrow: a bulls eye. The two following it also hit center. The fourth arrow hits the second ring, and the fifth and sixth hit the bulls eye, leaving Neal with a score of 248. He retrieves his arrows and goes to stand with the others.  
"That was nearly perfect, Link! You can't beat that," he calls. Watch me. I step up to the shooting line, nock an arrow, and raise my bow arm to draw. I've raised my arm a little too high and find myself aiming into the setting sun.  
  
I stand on an island in Lake Hylia. The cold dawn air is still. It is sunrise, and I am aiming east at the sliver of sun already over the horizon. My arm shakes with the strain of holding my draw for this long, but I keep my aim steady. Not much longer now. The sun slowly creeps into the sky. As soon as the blazing orb is fully over the horizon, I let my arrow fly. It stops mid-flight, falling to a platform on the lake. The arrowhead is encased in a red crystal.  
  
"Hey Link! You going to shoot that or what?" I shake my head at the sound of Neal's voice and lower my bow to aim at the target. What was that? What just happened? I realize my hands are shaking and take a deep breath to steady myself. I then proceed to fire all six of my arrows into the bulls eye. 


	2. Flames of Pursuit

**DISCLAIMER**I do not own The Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. Leigh, Leena, Keman, Aiden, Rhiannon, and several other characters are figments of my imagination.** **Author's Note** Hey everyone, me again, I just realized that italics don't work in this format. So anything you see that is double spaced away from everything and doesn't seem to go with the current scene is a vision or flashback or dream, ok? Sorry for any confusion. I'm trying to fix the italics problem, but I'm really bad with computers, so it probably won't work.** ~Alatariel Sirenial~  
  
Interum  
The Gerudo twirled the golden chain through her fingers, watching as the ruby hanging from it caught the light from the lone torch on the wall of her room. She lay on her cot, admiring her prize. This necklace would fetch a fair price from some Hylian noble, far more than the trouble she had taken to get it was worth. Raids were getting easier and easier these days. Life as a thief had probably never been better.  
Hearing someone at the door, the Gerudo turned to see who her visitor was. Another Gerudo stood there, her red hair cropped short and clothed in a white uniform. She was several years older than the girl on the cot. "Leigh," the older woman said, "I've got your orders." With a flick of her wrist, Leigh let the necklace fly from her fingers and into the far wall. It hit the stone wall with the slight clang of metal.  
"Well, Alzena, what have we got?" she asked. Alzena stepped into the room and handed the younger Gerudo a piece of paper. Leigh looked over it for several moments, her eyebrows raised in surprise. When she looked up, her eyes were confused.  
"They want the target alive?" she asked. Alzena nodded. Leigh shook her head in response. "I can't believe this! I'm an assassin, not a babysitter! How are we supposed to bring the target all the way back here alive?" Leigh asked.  
"How are you going to bring him back alive. They want you alone on this one," Alzena answered with a bit of a smirk. Leigh rolled her eyes.  
"This just keeps getting better, doesn't it?" Oh well, I suppose I don't really have a choice, she thought. One doesn't really question Twinrova.  
"I would bet quite a few rupees that this is about that prophecy you found, the one about blood," Alzena said. Leigh nodded.  
"But I don't understand what they want this guy for. He doesn't seem important." Leigh took another look at the paper, which contained her instructions and a description of her target. She snickered. "At least he'll be easy to find," she said, holding the paper to the torch, dropping it to the stone floor, and watching it burn.  
"Good bye, Alzena," Leigh said, going to the door. "I'm off to Kakariko." Chapter 2  
  
"Malon," Neal whines, "what are we doing in here?"  
"I'm saying goodbye to Epona," Malon answers, moving to a stall on the far wall of the stable.  
"Saying goodbye to-!" I gasp. "Malon, what are you talking about? Is something wrong with Epona?" Malon shakes her head as she stops in front of the stall.  
"Nothing's wrong with her," she answers. "We're giving her away."  
"What?!" Neal and I exclaim together. "Why?" Malon reaches out to stroke the white forelock of the mare inside the stall. Epona. Like with all the horses on the ranch, Malon had raised her from birth, but Epona was special. Epona was the filly of the mare that had belonged to her late mother. The mare had died giving birth to Epona, so now Epona is all Malon has to remember her mother by. Malon loves Epona more than anything; she always has. And Epona loves Malon right back. Epona only lets Malon and me ride her. She'll run over anyone else who tries. Malon would never give Epona away in a million years, so something must really be wrong. "I'm giving her away for her own good. She needs to be able to run, but I'm always busy so she doesn't leave the ranch that often. She's a wild spirit that needs to be free, to run where she pleases. But I cannot just let her go. She needs someone to take care of her, and I can't give her the freedom she needs. And besides, I'm doing a favor for the person I'm giving her to," Malon says.  
"Who could you possibly be giving her to, Malon?" I ask. "She won't let anyone ride her." Malon fishes into a pocket, pulls out a lump of sugar, and feeds it to Epona.  
"Oh, she'll let this person ride her," she says, turning to me with a half-smile. "I'm giving her to you, fairy boy." My eyes widen in shock.  
"Really, Malon?" I ask. "It's not a joke?"  
"Nope, she's yours," Malon says, shaking her head. I step forward, dazed, and scratch Epona behind her ear. I've known Epona for as long as I've known Malon, since I was ten. I ride her a lot, and she trusts me every bit as much as she trusts Malon. I love Epona.  
"Thanks, Malon," I say dumbly, not taking my eyes off Epona. Malon smiles.  
"I knew you would be surprised," she says. "And I know you two will take care of each other. Maybe Epona can keep you out of trouble."  
"Malon, I don't know what to say. thank you. This means a lot," I manage to say.  
"You're welcome, fairy boy," Malon says. Keman clears his throat. "If we're done here," he says, "I think we need to start back to Kakariko." Neal nods his agreement.  
"Yeah, we don't want to get back too late. Mom will have a fit. Thanks for dinner, by the way, Malon," Neal says. Malon suddenly looks alarmed.  
"No!" she says suddenly, surprising us all. "You can't go back to Kakariko tonight." I turn to look at her.  
"Why not?" I ask.  
"You.just can't," Malon stammers. By now, Neal, Keman, and I are all giving her strange looks.  
"Why not?" Keman says, repeating my question. "Is something wrong?"  
"No," Malon says, shaking her head.  
"Then why can't we leave?" Neal asks. "Look, Malon, if you wanted me to stay, you should have just said so. No need for the theatrics." Malon glares at him.  
"Don't get any ideas. Listen, it is very important that you stay away from Kakariko tonight," she says, now sounding very worried. I discreetly open Epona's stall, lead her out, and climb onto her back.  
"Malon," I say, "if you can't give me one good reason why I can't go back to Kakariko, then I'm going right now." Malon whirls to face me, terrified. What is wrong with her? What isn't she telling us?  
"Please stay! Sheik said I couldn't-" she stops, having just said more than she meant to.  
"Sheik, huh? What did he say, Malon? If it's that important, you really should tell us," I say. Malon stares back at me, eyes pleading.  
"Please, you just have to trust me. Link, you can't go back to Kakariko tonight. Just wait until morning and everything will be fine."  
"Wait," Keman says. "Link can't go back? What about the rest of us?" Malon looks uneasy, but begins to speak.  
"Well, Sheik said that. Sheik said that some people are looking for Link. I don't know who they are," she says, cutting off the questions she knows are coming. "And I don't know what they want. Sheik said that they are coming through Kakariko tonight and that Link has to stay away until they leave. Actually, Neal, you could go back and warn your mother not to say anything about Link to anyone who asks." We all stare at Malon in stunned silence.  
"Why would someone be after Link?" Neal finally asks. Malon shakes her head in answer. I'm wondering the same thing. Who would come looking for me? I may not be the most well liked person in Hyrule, but I don't think I've ever done anything to provoke someone to come after me. Suddenly, an idea occurs to me. The only thing we have to go on is Sheik's word, and he seemed sort of shifty.  
"How do we know that Sheik is telling the truth? He didn't seem very honest to me," I say. "He's telling the truth, Link," Malon says.  
"Even if he is, he just said someone was looking for me, right? How do we know that whoever it is means any harm?" I argue. Malon shakes her head.  
"Whoever it is, they're dangerous."  
"How do you know?" I challenge. "Who are they?"  
"I already told you, I don't know who they are," Malon says, "but they aren't to be trifled with. Sheik sounded really worried about what would happen if they found you. Please," she says, eyes pleading, "You have to stay here."  
"Fine," I answer. Keman gives a little cough.  
"Well," he says, "since that's decided, let's go get some sleep."  
"I guess I had better head back to Kakariko," Neal says reluctantly. Keman shakes his head.  
"No, let me take care of it," he says. "I'll go make sure Karina and the others don't say anything about Link." He turns and walks out the door of the stable.  
"Alright, then," Malon says, sounding relieved. "Follow me." Neal and I follow her out of the stable and into the main house.  
  
**************************  
  
Something small and sharp taps my forehead. TAP. It hits again. TAP TAP. And again. The tapping persists for another minute or so before I finally react. I grudgingly open my eyes to see to beady black eyes in a sea of white staring back at me. A white, beaked head turns sideways, contemplating the thing looking back at it for a moment before giving me a sharp peck in the eye.  
"Ow!" I cry. "Damn bird, get off me!" The cuccoo takes flight in a whirl of feathers as I snap into a sitting position, rubbing my left eye. Neal brings himself up on one elbow, blinking at me through half-closed eyes.  
"H-hey," he says through a yawn, "What's with the yelling?"  
"That Goddess forsaken cuccoo pecked me in the eye," I answer. Neal gives me an annoyed look.  
"Is that all? I'm going back to sleep," he says, and settles back into his corner of the room. From my position across the room, I can see a bit of bright blue sky through the window.  
"Actually," I say as I stand up, still rubbing my eye, "the sun is out. You should probably get up." Neal doesn't give any sign that he's heard me. "Neal?" Still no answer. I shrug and begin to make my way to the door when the door on the upstairs landing opens and Malon comes out.  
"Morning, Link," she says. "Neal up yet?"  
"No," says a muffled voice from the corner. Malon smiles.  
"You can sleep as long as you like, Neal," she calls to him. Then, to me she says "I have to help Dad with a milk delivery, but you two don't have anything to do, so you can stay for a time if you want."  
"Actually," I say, "we were supposed to work in the graveyard today." Neal stands up immediately and makes for the door. Upon reaching it, he turns to me.  
" Well? Are you coming? Oh," he says, noticing Malon, " thank you for everything Malon, I'll see you soon, okay?"  
"Alright. See you soon, then. Bye," Malon says. I rush out the door after Neal, who is already halfway to the stable.  
"Bye, Malon," I say before closing the door behind me. I walk into the stable to find Neal outside Epona's stall. As I saddle up Epona, Neal begins to pace back and forth, looking over at me from time to time to see if I'm finished. Who does he think he is? He's acting like an impatient noble waiting for his servant to finish some task. I decide to point out that I don't have to let him ride Epona at all.  
"You know," I say lightly, watching him as he paces, "you could walk back to Kakariko, since you seem to have no trouble pacing back and forth while I try to saddle up my horse, which I don't really have to let you ride, although you seem to consider that your right rather than a privilege." He stops pacing and looks up at me, surprised. I realize that I am glaring at him, and go back to tightening the cinch on Epona's saddle. "Link, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off like that, it's just, you know.." My anger ebbs as he trails off. I shouldn't have gotten mad at him like that; I know why he wants to get to the graveyard so quickly. I lead Epona out of the stable and mount her. Neal climbs up behind me and Epona trots out of the ranch. Once we're out in Hyrule Field, I urge Epona into a swift canter.  
"Does she have to go this fast?" Neal asks weakly. I nod. He's deathly afraid of horses, and probably would have preferred walking, but he really wants to get back to Kakariko. When Neal was a kid, he had idolized Dampé the grave keeper. He hung out in the graveyard for as long as he could every day, waving a stick and trying to frighten people, since everyone in town was afraid of Dampé. Although Dampé had ignored Neal at first, he needed help in the graveyard as he got older. He eventually employed Neal to work in the graveyard with him. Working for Dampé, Neal gained even more respect for him, and he and the grave keeper became good friends. Though Dampé's frightful deformity made him look rather dull witted, he worked hard and managed the great responsibility of caring for the graveyard. Neal eventually got me a job in the graveyard as well, though I never got as close to Dampé as he had. When Dampé died three months ago, Neal was crushed. Losing Dampé had been like losing his father all over again, and he had taken it really hard. He had promised his friend on his deathbed that he would tidy up the graveyard twice a month, and he's held rigidly to that promise.  
I come back to the present as Epona slows and stops in front of the stairs that lead into Kakariko Village. Neal and I both dismount and I pat Epona on the neck before following Neal up the steps and into the village. I head toward the graveyard, but Neal makes for his house.  
"I need to get something from the house, and we should probably let Mom know we're back," he says in answer to my inquiring look. I nod and follow him.  
When we reach the house and open the door, Karina practically sprints into Neal, holding him in a tight hug.  
"Neal, Link, are you two alright? Sweet merciful Din, when that Sheikah told me someone was looking for you.. I couldn't sleep at all last night, I was so worried."  
"Mom," Neal says, carefully holding her at arm's distance, "We're fine." I nod.  
"No one came by the ranch, no one got hurt, so calm down. Do you want to sit down?" I add. "You look like a wreck." Karina did look distraught, but she shook her head.  
"No, I'm fine. You're sure you're both all right? Link?" she asks, looking at me over her son's shoulder. "He said they were looking for you, and when that girl came by asking about you, I-" Neal and I both give her stunned looks.  
"You mean someone actually came?" I ask, surprised. I can't believe it. Karina nods. "Yes, a young woman, about your age. She came and asked if Link was home, and I told her that I didn't know him. I don't know if she believed me, I'm not sure that she did, but she left right after that," she finishes.  
"What did she look like? The girl, I mean," I ask. She doesn't exactly sound sinister. Maybe I know her, and this whole thing is just a really weird mix-up.  
"Well," Neal's mother says, "I couldn't see much; she was wearing a hood, but she was definitely Hylian. She had blue eyes, but that's all I know. I'm sorry, I know that doesn't help at all, but it's all I could see."  
"That's alright," I say, shaking my head. If I had a rupee for every Hylian girl I knew with blue eyes, I'd be rich. The description doesn't help at all. Karina looks uncomfortable for a second.  
"Do you two want something to eat?" she asks, changing the subject.  
"Nope, sorry, we've got to go to the graveyard," Neal says, shaking his head. "We'll probably be back before sunset. Bye." He hugs his mother and then walks away in the direction of the graveyard with me walking beside him. We've just passed the inn when a girl runs up to us.  
"Hello," she says, tucking her curly blond hair behind a pointed ear. "I'm supposed to meet someone in the Kakariko Graveyard, but I can't find it anywhere. I've been over the whole town twice, but I can't find any graveyard. Would you mind showing me where it is?"  
"We'll show you where it is," I answer. "We were headed there anyway." She must be pretty bad with directions, I think to myself. She has to be at least sixteen, and the graveyard isn't that hard to find.  
"Great!" she says, stepping between Neal and I as we start waking again. As we walk, the girl stares at me out of the corner of her eye with an odd look on her face, quickly looking away whenever I catch her. As we walk onto the path to the graveyard, I finally acknowledge her.  
"What?" I ask, sounding annoyed. She turns to look at me.  
"Pardon?" she asks innocently.  
"Why do you keep staring at me?"  
"Oh, um, I was just wondering.why are you dressed like that?" Her blue eyes seem to light up, and then she starts laughing. Great, this again. No matter where I go, someone always comments on what I wear. I wonder what Hyrule has against the color green.  
"What's wrong with the way I dress?" I ask, even though I can make a pretty good prediction of what her answer will be.  
"Well," the girl gasps through her laughter, "You look like one of those fairy kids from the forest, you know, the ones from the stories? It wouldn't be so bad, I guess, if it weren't for-" she bursts into another laughing fit and has to calm herself before she can continue, "- if it weren't for that hat. Why do you wear that thing, anyway?"  
"I like green," I reply sarcastically. She gives me a confused look, which makes sense, as my answer has nothing to do with her question.  
"We're here," Neal says as we reach the graveyard. The girl quickly scans it and turns to leave.  
"Well, I guess they're not here," she says in a rather rushed voice. "Thank you for showing me this place, though." She waves as she walks away.  
  
"That was weird," says Neal as he heads toward the shed that served as Dampé's home to get the tools. "She was rather odd, don't you think? I mean, just going up to complete strangers, following them and then leaving right away; kind of strange if you ask me. And she didn't look very hard for whoever she was supposed to meet here."  
"Yeah," I answer, "but you wouldn't exactly have to look that hard to see that no one was here." I enter the shed behind Neal and grab a rake from beside the door. Once we're both outside, Neal leans his shovel against the shed.  
"I almost forgot. Sorry that it's a day late, but here's your present," Neal says, holding out a blue a silver object. Torchlight flickers off of damp blue walls. On the far side of the small chamber, a dark hallway sits blocked by a bright blue stone block. I stand in front of an open chest on a raised platform. Reaching into the chest, I remove the strangest device I've ever seen. A sturdy metal chain is wrapped around blue housing with a small flip switch on the end. Set into the housing is what looks like a giant metal spearhead, the chain attached to it. The name of the device comes to me, though I've never heard it before: the hookshot.  
  
"I found it a few weeks ago, but I don't have any use for it. It was Dampé's. I'm not really sure how it works," Neal adds as I take the hookshot from him.  
"Thanks," I say absently as I examine the gift, wondering how to work it. Out of curiosity, I flip the switch on the end. Something clicks and the spearhead shoots from the housing and buries itself in one of the earthen walls of the graveyard, the chain stretching between it and me. Surprised, I release the switch and the chain retracts, dragging me along with it. When the train has fully retracted, I'm hanging by my arm from the graveyard wall. I wrench the hook from the dirt and fall to the ground.  
"Interesting," I mutter, walking back to the shed. I put the hookshot in my bag and grab the rake again. Neal has already picked up the shovel and is headed toward a disheveled grave. I turn to follow him; we've got a lot of work ahead of us.  
**************************  
  
INTERUM  
  
A girl stood on a slope beside the windmill, the wind pushing her golden hair back from her face. Her eyes glittered with twisted anticipation as she looked out at the town.  
Soon it will be a lovely display of flames, she thought to herself. Turning to the wooden structure beside her, she clenched her right hand into a fist until she felt a burning heat in her palm. She opened her burning hand slightly and, using her other hand to protect the small flame she held cupped there, pressed it to the wall. Slowly, the wooden side of the windmill caught fire. As the flames grew, the wind that had threatened the seedling flame now fed the new fire, causing it to swell.  
Feeling dizzy (summoning fire took a lot of energy, and she wasn't very practiced at it), the girl bent down and picked up an unlit torch. Lighting it from the flames now rapidly consuming the windmill, she nimbly leapt to the ground below and proceeded towards the nearest building.  
  
"Hey, Link," Neal calls, "Can you go back to the house real quick and tell Mom we'll be back late?"  
"Sure," I call back, turning and heading back towards the town. I take my time; the less I have to do in that graveyard, the better. As I near the end of the earthen corridor that leads to town, I begin to hear noises. There is a constant roar, and screams. At the sound of the screams, I break into a run and draw my bow, expecting to find a wolfos or something attacking some kids. When I reach the town, however, I stop dead in my tracks, my bow hanging from my hand at my side, forgotten.  
Kakariko Village is engulfed in flames. A tower of fire, whipped into a frenzy by the wind, rises from every building that I can see, in sharp contrast with the twilit sky. Beneath the roar of the fire, I hear a sharp crack as a far-off roof collapses. People are weaving between buildings toward the large open area in the middle of town, where they search frantically for family members.  
I break free of my stupor, turn on my heel, and dash back to the graveyard.  
"Neal!" I yell as soon as I get there. "Neal, Kakariko is burning!" He turns to me, disbelieving.  
"What?!" he asks, looking as though he can't believe what he just heard.  
" The whole town's on fire. Come on, we have to get back!" I turn and run back the other way and hear Neal running behind me. We reach town out of breath and stop for a moment.  
"I'm going to make sure Mom got out alright," Neal says before running off. I'm about to follow him when a scream bursts from the house a few feet away: Anju's house. Sweet merciful Din, Anju's still in there! I turn toward the house and quickly run through the doorway and into the burning house.  
Smoke stings my eyes as I squint, trying to make out the house's interior. As I stumble down the small hallway, Anju screams again. The sound is coming from upstairs, so I make my way back to the stairs and go up them. I open the door at the top of the landing- or at least I try to. I can't get it open and look down to see that the door is block by debris the fell from the ceiling. I work quickly to clear the smoldering wood away from the door and then open the door.  
I nearly collide with Anju as I enter the room. Most of the room is flaming, and only the small section we are standing in is safe. Anju turns and sees me, her eyes filled with fear and looking panicked.  
"I tried to open the door, but-" Anju breaks off into a coughing fit; the smoke must be getting to her lungs. "The door wouldn't open," Anju finishes once the coughing subsides.  
"Cover your mouth with something! Don't breath in any more smoke!" I call to her over the noise of the fire. Anju nods and holds the sleeve of her frock over her mouth, breathing through the cloth. She exits the room in front of me and I follow her. As we hurry down the now smoldering stairway, I land especially hard on one of the stairs, it gives way beneath me, and I fall the short distance to the first floor. I look up to see Anju looking through the hole.  
"I'm fine!" I yell. "Just go, the way out's clear." She turns and hurries away as I stand and head out from under the stairs and back towards the small hallway that leads out of the house. Before I go anywhere, however, I run into a wall. I stand in front of the wooden obstacle, not really understanding what it is. Then it hits me: the area beneath theses stairs is boxed in. The stairs aren't simply attached to the wall of the house; they are supported by a wooden structure beneath them, forming a closed compartment under the stairs. Well, there has to be a door somewhere, I think to myself, going down on my knees and searching for the small door that should lead out into the house. I search the entire wall four times, but I can't find a door. It dawns on me that I'm trapped. I stare at the wall, realizing that I'm about to die. It's just wood, just a little bit of wood, but I'm going to die because of it. Wait, it's only wood. Maybe I can break through it. If I'm lucky, the fire may have weakened it already. I ram my shoulder into the wall and push against it, not getting any results. I continue to ram the wall, without avail. Several minutes later, I've still gotten nowhere. I'm breathing hard from the exertion, but smoke is rapidly filling the hole I'm in, so I'm breathing more smoke than air. As I take a deep breath, I start coughing and can't stop. I'm leaning against the wall, hacking away, when I hear a voice.  
"Get back!" a female voice yells in a commanding tone. It sounds almost familiar. I do as I'm told, backing into the wall opposite the one on which I was leaning. There is an explosion, and when the light fades I can see that the wall has been destroyed. Coming toward me is the blond girl from the graveyard.  
"Come on," she says impatiently, "let's get out of here before the roof falls in." Without waiting for an answer, she turns and heads toward the door at a sprint with me at her heels. We get a safe distance away from the house before slowing to a walk as we approach the open space where Kakariko's residents are congregating.  
"How did you know I was in there?" I ask her.  
"I've been watching you since the fire started," she answers, leaving me surprised.  
"Watching me? Why?" The girl gives me a sidelong glance.  
"I wanted to make sure you didn't try to play the hero and get yourself killed in the process. Which," she adds, "you nearly did."  
"Well, thank you for saving me," I say, a bit confused.  
"I didn't do it for you," she answers scornfully. "My master still has need of you. We can't have you dying just yet. But don't worry," she continues as I give her a shocked look. "Your time will come. Now follow me." I stop. We're in the middle of the huddle of the people of Kakariko.  
"Why would I follow you?" I ask. The girl stops as well, but does not turn to look at me.  
"Do you see all these people, Link?" How does she know my name? "Do you want them to die? I'm a fire mage," she lied, " and I will kill them all right now if you do not come with me, just like I set fire to this town." I stare at her in shock.  
"You started the fire?" I ask, stunned. The girl nods and grins, apparently proud of that accomplishment.  
"Yes, clever, hmm? Now, follow me. We have a long way to go," she says as she moves away with long, swift strides, confident that I will follow. I stay where I am, still unable to comprehend what I've just been told. It really doesn't make any sense. First, this girl shows up, saves my life, then tells me that she set fire to Kakariko and that if I don't follow her, she'll kill everyone in town. Makes a lot of sense, doesn't it? No, I didn't think so.  
The girl, realizing that I'm not behind her, turns and glares at me impatiently.  
"Did you hear me?" she asks. "Get over here, now." She raises her hand, which is glowing red. "I said, get- ow!" The girl pulls something from her arm, looks at it, and then casts it aside in disgust as her form begins to blur. Seconds later, a Gerudo is standing where the blond arsonist had been. She glares at something behind me, and I turn to see Sheik running towards us, throwing-needles in one hand. He comes to a stop beside me.  
"Get out of here, Gerudo," he says, glowering. The Gerudo tosses her long red ponytail and puts a hand on her hip.  
"You can't tell me what to do, Sheikah," she says, her voice dripping venom. "Nice trick by the way: reversing the shape shift, that was smart," she adds, noticing a guard coming towards her, his weapon at the ready. "I'll come back for you later," she says, addressing me. The wind picks up, and the Gerudo is surrounded by swirling wisps of green light. "Hero of Time," she adds, "Ganondorf sends his regards." And with that, she disappears in a flash of green.  
I turn to Sheik to ask him what's going on, but he heads me off.  
"You'll have to come to the castle with me," he says, "I'll explain everything there." 


	3. Questions

**DISCLAIMER**I do not own The Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. Leigh, Leena, Keman, Aiden, Rhiannon, and several other characters are figments of my imagination.** Chapter 3  
  
"But, Sheik, what about Kakariko?" Sheik and I are dashing across the castle grounds on our way to the drawbridge, Sheik several steps ahead.  
"Ruto will take care of it," he says, sounding unworried.  
"Who?" I ask in confusion.  
"That Zora we passed on the way here. She's the most powerful water mage in Hyrule; she'll put the fire out in no time," he answers, dismissing the topic. It's dark now, and there's only a crescent moon to see by. Hyrule Castle looms up ahead, hundreds of little lights showing through the windows. The grounds, across which we are running, are in darkness. In front of the moat a white marble wall with an iron gate stands behind two sentries. Sheik slows and finally comes to a stop in front of the gate, me following suit.  
"We request entrance to the castle," Sheik says, addressing one of the sentries.  
"And what is your business at the castle at such an hour?" the guard responds. "We do not usually admit visitors after dark."  
"We must speak with the Princess immediately. It's urgent," Sheik answers. I turn to stare at him. The Princess? What do we need to see the princess for? And what is urgent?  
"Her Highness said nothing about getting two visitors tonight. You had best have a name to back up your claim, or I'll have to send you away," the guard says.  
"My name is Sheik," he answers. "I was Impa's apprentice. She will vouch for me." The guard nods.  
"Your name will be enough. Lower the drawbridge!" the other sentry yells in the direction of the castle. Almost immediately, the drawbridge comes to life, the chains that lower and raise it clanking loudly. When the drawbridge is fully lowered, Sheik rushes across it with a hurried "thank you" to the guards. Once again, I follow him across the bridge, through a long courtyard, and through a side door. We wind through hallways until we finally reach an immense pair of grand looking doors. Sheik manages to pull one open a bit, then pushes me inside.  
"I have to leave you here," he says. " The Princess will be with you shortly." And with that, he closes the door. I can hear his footsteps retreating down the hall.  
I turn to survey the room I'm in. The walls are of a pale gray stone, leading to a high, vaulted ceiling. The room is very well lit by torches in elegant golden sconces lining the wall and a large golden chandelier overhead, their light reflected in a polished granite floor. The right wall consists almost solely of windows, while the left is bare. Across the room from me is a shimmering gold throne on a raised dais. Beside it is a smaller throne made of silver. The wall behind the dais is hung with a banner depicting the Royal Crest. Down the center of the room, from the thrones to the doors, runs a red velvet carpet. So this must be the throne room.  
My thoughts are disrupted as the door behind me creaks open. I turn to see whoever has joined me and stop short, my breath caught in my throat.  
Standing in the doorway is what has to be the most beautiful girl I've ever seen: Princess Zelda. Her hair falls down her back like a waterfall of spun gold. Her complexion is pale and creamy without any imperfections. She looks tall and slender in her dress of white and pale rose. But it's her eyes that hold me. They are a light blue with the slightest hint of green, like the depths of Lake Hylia. She looks like a goddess. She smiles, increasing her beauty one hundredfold.  
"It's not polite to stare," she says with a little laugh. Mortified, I snap into a low bow, turning red to the tips of my pointed ears.  
"My apologies, Your Highness," I manage through my embarrassment. Zelda gives another little laugh.  
"You can stand up now," she says. I do, but I still can't bring myself to meet her gaze. When she continues, her voice is much more somber. "So why are you here?" she asks. I look up in surprise, now making eye contact.  
"Hell if I know. Sheik was supposed to explain everything, but he just dumped me here and disappeared. He made it sound like you were going to explain," I say, adding as an afterthought, "Your Highness."  
"Oh, I will explain. I was just wondering how much you knew already," Zelda says.  
"I have no idea what's going on," I say, rather annoyed now that I realize that no one has been telling me much of anything about this whole ordeal. The person who has told me the most so far is the girl who set Kakariko on fire, and she wants to kill me. Go figure. "So you have a lot of explaining to do, Your Highness." Zelda nods, looking slightly dismayed. There must be a lot to explain.  
"Well, to begin," Zelda says, "Does the name Ganondorf mean anything to you?" The name sounds sort of familiar, but then I remember why.  
"No," I answer, "But the girl who set Kakariko on fire mentioned that name before she left."  
"Ganondorf was once King of the Gerudo, and all female race that is ruled by the one male born to them every one hundred years," Zelda said. "He was an evil and power hungry man. He wished to find the Triforce to further increase his power, because the Triforce grants the wish of whoever touches it. You know what the Triforce is?" she asked, pausing in her explanation. I nod. The Triforce is the relic that was left behind by the Goddesses Din, Nayru, and Farore after they created Hyrule. It holds great power and is sought by many, but has yet to be found. It takes the appearance of three golden triangles arranged into one larger triangle with a triangular hole in the center. Each of the three pieces represents one of the Goddesses: the Triforce of Power for Din, Goddess of Power; the Triforce of Wisdom for Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom; and the Triforce of Courage for Farore, Goddess of Courage.  
"Well," Zelda continued, "Ganondorf devoted his life to the study of the Triforce. He learned a great deal about it, more than any living person knew, until he discovered how it could be obtained. Four keys are required to unlock the door behind which the Triforce lies: a certain stone each from three races of Hyrule, and the Ocarina of Time. The Ocarina of Time is the treasure of the Royal Family, and Ganondorf needed to get it. So, after the Great War, he made a truce with the peoples of hyrule and swore allegiance to my father in hopes that one day he would get the opportunity to steal the Ocarina.  
"Eventually, he entered the Sacred Realm by tricking a young boy into opening the door for him, and attempted to take the Triforce. It split into three pieces, leaving Ganondorf only with the Triforce of Power. The other two pieces went to their predestined owners. For seven years Ganondorf searched for the other pieces, until their carriers confronted him. The bearer of the Triforce of Courage, the boy he had tricked, now a young man bearing the title of 'Hero of Time', defeated him, but he used the Triforce of Power to resurrect himself as the creature Ganon. Ganon, too, was defeated and was sealed away in the Sacred Realm by the Seven Sages, each powerful mages of their element. The Seventh Sage, and bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom is me," Zelda says, removing her left glove and showing me the back of her hand. On it is what appears to be a scar in the outline of the Triforce with the lower left triangle completely filled in. When I see it, my stomach turns over. I've seen a mark like that before. I absently begin to rub the back of my left hand.  
"And the Hero of Time and bearer of the Triforce of Courage is-"  
"Me," I murmur, cutting her off as I pull off my left gauntlet and stare down at my hand. The mark there is nearly identical to the one on Zelda's hand, except that the lower right triangle is the darkened one. I remember the day the mark showed up. It had been my tenth birthday. It had been the day I was banished from Kokiri Forest.  
I just stand here in awe for a few seconds, until I realize one major flaw in Zelda's story. I don't remember any of it. Not a thing. No Ganondorf, no Sages, no Triforce, nothing. And regardless of what Malon and Neal say, I am not so out of it that seven years of my life would just go by without my noticing. "Princess, I don't want to make it sound like you're dishonest or anything, but that lovely story you just told is impossible. Did you actually expect me to believe that shit?" Zelda pauses in slipping her glove back on, giving me a stunned look.  
"Excuse me?" she asks.  
"Your explanation is impossible. If all that really happened, then shouldn't I, I don't know, remember it?" I ask in a cynical voice, wrestling my gauntlet back onto my arm.  
"Well, I wouldn't expect you to remember it. You see, after Ganon was sealed away, you were somehow sent back in time and your memory was erased," she says.  
"How did that happen?" I ask. "I mean, people don't just get randomly sent back in time."  
"I don't know how you were sent back", Zelda replies, an uneasy look on her face. "It just happened." She's a really bad liar; I can tell she's lying through her teeth.  
"For the love of Nayru!" I yell, my temper flaring. "If you're going to lie to me, why bother explaining in the first place? First no one tells me anything, and now, when I have a perfectly legitimate question concerning my life, you can't even give me a straight answer!" Zelda takes a step back, unprepared for my reaction, with an expression on her face that says she feels that I'm clearly overreacting. Well, so much for being afraid to offend her. Me and my temper.  
"Link," Zelda says slowly, patiently, "I am not lying to you. Please, you must believe me. And I'm not done explaining everything. That was just the background, the reason for what is happening now."  
"What is happening now?" I ask, willing to listen now that I've been promised more information. I know she's lying about the whole memory thing, but I'll worry about that later.  
"You have been told that people are looking for you, is that correct?" Zelda asks. I nod, and she continues. "Those looking for you are Gerudo still loyal to Ganondorf. This time around, he merely disappeared seven years ago, on the day that you were sent back to. While most Gerudo are now loyal to Nabooru, the new Gerudo leader, there are some who believe that their King shall return and they remain loyal to him. They are being governed by someone who knows what has truly come to pass: that Ganondorf is dead."  
"What does any of that have to do with the Gerudo searching for me?" I interrupt. Zelda gives me a look; I think her patience is running out. I smile inwardly at the thought.  
"I was getting to that," Zelda continues. "There is a spell to resurrect Ganon, and I believe that our enemies have discovered it. It is rather simple and crude in its formation, but terribly particular in its requirements. It requires but one ingredient, really more of an activator of sorts, and no incantation whatsoever. It merely requires that the activator be used in a very specific place."  
"You certainly are to the point, Princess," I say sarcastically.  
"If greatest power you desire,  
Seek the deities' treasure gold,  
In the realm of Light so sacred,  
Mortal hands ne'er dare to hold.  
Should thine heart of treasures three,  
Only one in strength possess,  
Then shall split the golden trio,  
And small shall be thine happiness.  
But if thou shouldst gather the three,  
Reunited they shall bind,  
Three becometh one once more,  
And the fates once more seem kind.  
Seeker of the pow'r beware,  
For thine fortune shall not last,  
Ever damned shall be thine soul,  
Golden bonds shall hold thee fast.  
If freedom should thou wish to seek,  
To open Light Realm's sacred door,  
The blood of he that hath slain thee,  
Shall set thee free once more. That was a poem I discovered recently in an ancient text, and I believe that the Gerudo have found it as well- Link? Are you all right? You're as white as a sheet," Zelda says, concerned.  
"The blood of he that hath slain thee shall set thee free once more," I repeat dumbly. My blood had run cold at those words. My thoughts stray back to my dream, and the wolfish Gerudo. "I. I've heard those words before. in a dream.." Zelda gives me a concerned look.  
"Link, what happened in your dream?" she asks urgently. "It could be important."  
"I was standing in this strange room with a Gerudo. She stabbed me and then said that line," I answer.  
"What did the room look like? Do you remember?" Zelda pries, her face grimly eager.  
"It was just a cold stone room, like a dungeon. The Triforce was engraved into the floor, but other than that, it didn't have any distinguishing features." Zelda nods, visibly disappointed.  
"Link, the poem mentions the spell for Ganon's resurrection. And I have heard of the spell elsewhere. The Gerudo are looking for you because. they need your blood, Link. They have to kill you in the room you saw in your dream. That will bring Ganon back to life." I gape at Zelda, unable to fully comprehend what I've just been told. According to her, I have a bunch of Gerudo hit men- excuse me, hit women- after me who are literally out for my blood. I swallow.  
"They want my blood?" I ask in a weak voice. Zelda nods.  
"Yes. But you see, the location is just as important as the blood, and they don't know where that location is just yet. Unfortunately, neither do we. But if we found it first, we might be able to destroy it somehow-"  
Zelda is interrupted as the door to the throne room opens once more. Three figures enter. The first is a young Hylian man who looks to be about the same age as Zelda and me. His hair is auburn and his eyes brown and he is clothed richly in browns and reds. I can tell by his clothes and his posture that he's either royalty or a pretty high-ranking noble. A tall and imposing Sheikah woman closely follows him. She is dressed in the style of the Sheikah and her white hair is tied back. Her red eyes are cold and calculating, sharply contrasting with the warm and amiable face of the humanoid stone creature behind her. Living in Kakariko, I've seen a Goron once or twice before, but I've never gotten this close. Although he seems kindly, the Goron still carries himself with an air of authority. It is he that is the first to speak.  
"We heard someone yelling about lies and explanations, or something of the sort and came down to see how things were going," the Goron says. "And since I haven't heard the Princess yell in quite some time, I took it to mean." he trails off and turns to look at me, grinning. "Brother, you have returned." I give the Goron a wan half smile, bewildered. Brother?  
Perhaps sensing my confusion, Zelda steps in.  
"Link, this is Darunia," she says, gesturing to the Goron. "He is the leader of the Gorons and the Sage of Fire. This is Impa," Zelda continues, and the Sheikah gives a curt nod. "She is the Sage of Shadow and a guardian of the Royal family. Impa, Darunia, you've both met Link."  
"Not this one," Impa says. Zelda ignores the comment.  
"This," She says, indicating the Hylian, "Is Prince Ronan of Dinahar. Ronan," she says, addressing him, "This is Link." I bow and Ronan nods.  
"Zelda," Darunia says, no longer smiling. "Will you be summoning the others soon? I must return to my people."  
"I do not think that it is necessary to summon them. You may return to Death Mountain, Darunia. I will summon you should anything arise," Zelda responds. Darunia nods.  
"I shall leave in the morning, then" he says.  
"Highness, if I may?" Impa asks. Zelda nods, and she continues. "While I agree that it is unnecessary to summon all the Sages, the boy does need a guardian, and I don't believe Sheik will be available for the task. Perhaps you should assign a Sage to guard him. They could fill things in a bit more, as well."  
"I don't need a guardian," I say indignantly. "I can take care of myself."  
"Can you, now?" Impa asks in a bored voice. "Your Highness," she says, turning to Ronan. "May I borrow your sword?"  
"Of course," Ronan says, looking rather puzzled as he unsheathes his sword and hands it to Impa. She takes it and tosses it to me with a sharp "here" before unsheathing a long dagger of her own. Surprised at having the sword thrown at me, I've just managed to grip its hilt when I'm forced to bring the blade up in order to block Impa's attack as she comes at me with the dagger. She strikes again, lower this time, and I lower the blade to block. We continue this sequence of strikes and blocks, Impa's strikes getting faster and my blocks getting clumsier. I've only held a sword once or twice in my life before this, so I have no clue how to use it beyond the instinctive "it's sharp so use it to hit things" idea that most people are born with. I now have to step back in order to effectively block Impa's onslaught. I soon find myself backed up against a wall and frantically trying to block Impa's repeated attacks. With a triumphant smile that is visible only in her eyes, she darts behind my defense with the dagger and slashes it across my chest, only cutting deep enough to draw blood.  
"First blood on the torso," she says, stepping back and sheathing the dagger. "I win." I glare at her.  
"And what," I ask tensely, "was the point of that?"  
"You claimed that you could defend yourself," Impa answers. "I was merely testing you. I was not sure if, despite your loss of memory, you had retained your skill with a sword. Apparently," she continues, her voice disdainful, "you have not."  
"Just because I can't use a sword doesn't mean I can't defend myself," I counter.  
"Oh?" Impa says, clearly disinterested. "And what battle skill could you possibly possess?"  
"Archery," I answer. Impa folds her arms and sighs, as though summoning the strength to explain something very complicated to a young child.  
"In order for archery to be effective, you must have time to draw and shoot. I assure you that that will not be the case if one of Ganon's minions attacks you. They will most likely attack before you know that they are there. Archery would prove useless. I could have Sheik teach you hand- to- hand combat," she says, more to herself than anyone else.  
"Well, Impa," Zelda says, "You have proven your point. Who do you suggest I assign to guard Link?"  
"That is your decision, Highness," Impa responds. "But I would choose Nabooru. Since Gerudo are pursuing Link, it might help to have a Gerudo guarding him. She would obviously know what to expect. However, she may have her hands full with her people at the moment, and Gerudo Desert is so far away. Perhaps Darunia could take Link back to Goron City with him. Darunia will do a good job of explaining everything, and they were good friends, after all."  
"Who were good friends?" I ask.  
"The Hero of Time and Darunia," Impa answers. I have a feeling that she doesn't consider my past self and who I am now to be the same person.  
"That's a wonderful idea," Zelda says, then, turning to Darunia, "Is that alright with you, Darunia?" He nods.  
"It's fine."  
"Zelda?" Ronan interjects. "It is getting rather late, and your father was wondering if you were coming to bed?"  
"I will," Zelda responds. "I believe we're done here. Good night, everyone." She moves to go out the open door, closely followed by Ronan, when he stops and turns to me.  
"Er. Link, was it?" he asks.  
"Yes, Your Highness."  
"Could I have my sword back?"  
"Oh," I say, realizing that I'm still holding the sword. "Of course, Your Highness." I walk over to him and hand the sword back.  
"Thank you," he says, sliding the sword back into its sheath. "Perhaps I can teach you to use it some time, hm?" he says in a slightly condescending tone. He's not trying to rub in the fact that I can't use a sword, that's just the way royals talk to everyone else, but the comment still angers me. But of course, since he's royalty, I can't tell him off.  
"That is a generous offer, Your Highness," I respond stiffly. "But I'm afraid it will be unnecessary." Ronan shrugs.  
"Very well," he says, and follows Zelda out of the room. Impa leaves behind them, leaving only Darunia and me standing in the room.  
"Well," the Goron says, "It is very late, so I suppose you can stay in my quarters as you will be accompanying me tomorrow."  
"Um, thanks," I say, following him out of the room and into the dark hallway.  
"Don't mention it, Brother," he says good-naturedly.  
"Why do you call me that?" I ask. "Brother, I mean."  
"You and I are Sworn Brothers."  
"Sworn brothers?" I ask, completely lost.  
"You certainly ask a lot of questions," Darunia says with a laugh.  
"Well, you would too if seven years of your life was erased from your memory," I respond, but now I'm smiling too. Darunia's good mood is really rubbing off. Talking to him is like. well, I guess it's like talking to an old friend. 


	4. Between a Rock and a Hot Place

**DISCLAIMER**I do not own The Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. Leigh, Leena, Keman, Aiden, Rhiannon, and several other characters are figments of my imagination.** **Author's Note** I know the dialogue in the vision in this chapter is incorrect, but it has been awhile since I played OoT and I'm just trying to give a general idea. Sorry: ( Also, I still can't figure out website formating, so my italics and hyphens don't work. In this and all following chapters, anything double spaced away from the rest is either thoughts, a dream, or a vision. ~Alatariel Sirenial~ INTERIM  
"So you have failed."  
"I haven't failed!" Leigh shouted, her voice angry. She was on one knee before two hovering witches.  
"Oh really?" Koume said, her voice smooth. "Then where is he?!" she screeched. Leigh winced.  
"I met a few setbacks. I assure you, I will bring him to you. But why rush?" Leigh asked. "After all, we do not yet know the location for the sacrifice."  
"Are you suggesting that we are not doing our jobs?" Kotake demanded icily.  
"No, of course not," Leigh replied hastily, bowing her head.  
"It sounded like it to me, Kotake," Koume said before turning on Leigh. "Did we not take you in when we found you wandering in the desert? Did we not convince Nabooru to accept you? Did we not teach you magic? And what do we get in return for our efforts? Nothing! Now get out there, you ungrateful wench, and we had better not see you again unless you are accompanied by the Hero of Time!!!"  
"I shall bring him here with the utmost haste," Leigh replied, and then, considering herself dismissed, she stood and left the Spirit Temple.  
  
CHAPTER 4  
"Uh, Darunia, exactly how much farther is Goron City?"  
"Oh, it's just around that bend up ahead." I breathe an inward sigh of relief. Darunia and I have been walking for the better part of the day, and I'm exhausted. Of course, it doesn't help that a quarter of the walk has been up Death Mountain. I stop for a moment to look back the way we came. In the west, the sun is already sinking below the mountains on the horizon. We left Hyrule Castle just after sunrise, and Darunia wouldn't even let me stop when we reached the ruins of Kakariko to tell Neal and Karina where I was going. Zelda says I can't let anyone know where I am, not even Neal. Great. Beyond the mountains, I can see a rippling glimmer. I'm fairly sure it's the sea.  
"Link, get over here!" Darunia shouts. I hear a rumbling noise behind me. I turn to see a gigantic boulder rolling rapidly towards me. "Now!" Darunia bellows. I sprint to the mountain wall just as the boulder rolls over the place where I had been standing.  
"You'll have to watch out for boulders. We get frequent rockslides here," Darunia says, then continues up the mountain with me in tow.  
"Hey, Darunia," I say, "Who was that Ronan guy anyway?"  
"He is the Prince of Dinahar," Darunia answers.  
"And where is Dinahar?" I ask. "I've never heard of it."  
"It is a small island country about three days from here by ship."  
"So what's the Prince of Dinahar doing in Hyrule?" I ask.  
"It's not my place," Darunia says evasively.  
"Aw, come on. What, does he have some dark secret?" Darunia turns his head to give me an apprehensive look.  
"He is courting the Princess," he says quickly, looking forward once more. I burst into laughter. Darunia gives me another look, this one puzzled. "How is that funny?" he asks.  
"That. cocky. asshole is. perfect for her," I answer through my laughter.  
"You're not upset? Or jealous?" Darunia asks, looking perplexed at my reaction.  
"No!" I say, bursting into another fit of laughter. "Should I be?" I ask, calming down now that I see that Darunia is serious.  
"No," he says quickly. "It is just, well, you and Zelda were. it's really not my place."  
"What?" I ask, curious now. "We were what?" Darunia looks away, his face blank.  
"Nothing," he replies. "Forget I said anything." I can tell I'm not going to hear any more on the topic from this guy, so I resolve to glare sullenly at the back of his head as we trudge up the mountain.  
"So, Brother," Darunia calls back. "Is there anything you would like me to explain?"  
"Nothing comes to mind at the moment," I answer. Darunia nods his head in understanding.  
"I am sure that later you will have more questions. Now come, we have reached the entrance," he responds. I jog around the bend to catch up with Darunia as he approaches a great hole in the mountainside, small banners hanging above it. We enter the hole, darkness abruptly replacing the fading daylight. Just as my eyes are adjusting, we emerge from a short hallway into a brightly lit room.  
"Welcome to Goron City, Brother," Darunia says proudly. I stare around me in awe. I'm looking at a vast cavern that has been hewn from the mountainside. There are three levels of earthen walkways and a bottom floor, all with stairways leading off of them. The entire city is surprisingly bright with torchlight. We stand on the top floor. In front of us is a stone platform suspended over the city by ropes. On the platform is a shining red stone set in gold.  
  
Darunia holds the red stone out to me. I'm looking up at him.  
"Here," Darunia says. "You have driven the evil monsters from Dodongo's Cavern. As promised, I will give you the Goron Ruby. Now you and I are Sworn Brothers."  
  
"Big Brother!"  
"Big Brother, you're back!" Several deep voices break through my consciousness, ending the vision. Two Gorons are lumbering towards Darunia and I.  
"Welcome back, Big Brother," says one of the Gorons upon reaching us.  
  
"How are things going?" Darunia asks.  
"Things have not changed since you left," answers the second Goron.  
"Who is this?" the first Goron asks, looking curiously at me.  
"This is my Sworn Brother, Link," Darunia answers. The Gorons' eyes visibly widen and one of them grabs my hand in a crushing grip and shakes it enthusiastically.  
"It's an honor," the Goron who is shaking my hand says.  
"Uh, thanks," I say, trying to smile through the pain in my arm. I swear my arm is going to come out of its socket if he doesn't cut that out. "Could you let go of my arm, please?" I ask. The Goron drops it immediately.  
"Sorry," he says. "It is easy to forget that all are not built like Gorons."  
"I can imagine," I mutter under my breath.  
"What was that?" the Goron asks.  
"Oh, I just said don't worry about it," I answer quickly.  
"Oh, all right," the other Goron says. "Well, it was an honor meeting you. Big Brother," he says, addressing Darunia now. "We need to see you in the meeting hall."  
"I'll be right there," Darunia answers, and the two Gorons walk away. "Come, Brother," he says, turning to me. "You can wait in the throne room until I get back."  
"What was that all about?" I ask as we descend a staircase. Darunia smiles.  
"I knew you would have questions. You are quite a celebrity here. As for why, I shall leave that tale for another to tell," he answers.  
"What? Why can't you tell me now?"  
"You shall find out quite soon, believe me," Darunia says. "Now, it is just through this door here." We are now on the bottom floor of the city. Darunia motions to an open doorway. "Go on in," he says. "I'll see you in a few hours."  
"Alright," I say, and walk through the door and into a room. It's not very big, but it's not small either. The walls are lined with small wooden tables and on one wall sit a stone statue, which I assume is the throne.  
"Hey, what are you doing in here?" asks a young voice. I look down to see a young Goron staring up at me. "Where's my dad?"  
"Who is he?" I ask.  
"Darunia," the young Goron answers. Darunia has a kid?  
"Your dad is at a meeting," I answer.  
"Oh," the Goron says. "What's your name, anyway?"  
"Link," I answer. "What's yours?"  
"Link," he answers gleefully, a wide grin on his face.  
"No," I say slowly, "that's my name. What's yours?"  
"Link," he answers again. "My dad named me after you." I give the Goron ,Link, a puzzled look.  
"You're kidding, right?" I ask. That's kind of weird. I mean, I hadn't met Darunia until yesterday, but he named his kid after me. But wait: he has met me before. I just don't remember it because it happened before I was sent back in time.  
"Nope," Goron Link says, shaking his head. "My dad says he met you when you were ten. Dodongo's Cavern was filled with evil creatures, so we couldn't go in to harvest the rocks. Then you came and destroyed all the dodongos, so Dad gave you the Goron Ruby and made you his Sworn Brother. He even named me after you."  
"Oh," I answer. "Er, that was nice of him." Goron Link is giving me a suspicious look.  
"Hey, shouldn't you remember all that stuff?" he asks accusingly.  
"Well, I should, but I don't because all my memories were erased," I say rather bitterly. He doesn't pick up on my tone, instead giving me a wide eyed look.  
"Whoa, really? I've never heard of that happening before. Did you just wake up one day and not remember anything? Do you think that can happen to anybody? Do you think it could happen to me? Or my dad? What if he couldn't-"  
"Kid, calm down," I say, interrupting him. He had been asking questions almost frantically. Someone had to stop him before he keeled over from stress or something. I hope I wasn't like this when I was little. "I'm sure that you and your dad will keep your memories. Don't worry about it."  
"Okay," Goron Link says, sounding suddenly disinterested. "Hey," he says, immediately changing gears, "wanna see something cool?"  
"Sure," I say with a shrug watching as he hurries to the throne and pushes it several feet to the side as easily as if it were made of air. A dark tunnel entrance is revealed where the throne stood. Warm air wafts from the opening. The young Goron starts toward the tunnel.  
"Come on," he says, "It's in here." He goes a few feet before turning to look at me. After a moment he shakes his head and returns to the throne room. "I can't take you in there," he says by way of explanation, pushing the throne into place.  
"Why not?" I ask.  
"You can't go in unless you're a Goron," Goron Link answers. He turns his head towards the door. "Dad!" he says happily, running into Darunia's arms as he enters the room. Darunia scoops him up into a bear hug before setting him down again, laughing. I look on uncomfortably. I don't particularly enjoy watching family displays of affection since I never had a family of my own. I've always been alone, even when I had Saria to talk to. She was a great friend, but the best friend in the world can't replace family. Scenes like this just tend to depress me.  
"So," Darunia says warmly as he sets his son down, "what have you two been up to?"  
"Link and me were talking, Dad. He doesn't remember all that stuff that happened to him that you told me about, isn't that weird?" the little Goron says energetically. "He didn't believe me when I said my name was Link."  
"Really?" asks Darunia in mock surprise.  
"But he believes it now," Goron Link says reassuringly.  
"Oh, good," Darunia says, smiling.  
"Link!" calls a voice. A young Goron who looks to be several older than Darunia's son comes through the door. "Big Brother," he says, turning to Darunia, "Can Link come play?" Darunia nods.  
"Of course," the Goron leader answers. "Go ahead, son." Goron Link hugs his father before running off after his friend. Darunia turns to me.  
"You never told me you had a kid," I say with a grin. "Interesting name choice."  
"Yes," Darunia says with a thoughtful smile, "That's what you said before."  
"I'm honored," I say sincerely. "He's a sweet kid."  
"He is," says Darunia. "It's hard to believe he'll be doing my job one day. So, any questions yet?"  
"Yeah," I say. "What's through that tunnel behind your throne?"  
"That is the entrance to Death Mountain Crater," Darunia answers.  
"What's that? What's in there?"  
"Nothing of much importance. It holds the entrance to the Fire Temple, but it is not in use. Do not concern yourself with it. You can't go in there anyway," he responds. That gets my attention.  
"Why not?" I ask curiously.  
"Only Gorons can enter the Crater," Darunia says. He must see something in my eyes, because he gives me a stern look. "Stay out of there, Link. It's dangerous." That strikes a nerve. First off, anyone who knows me pretty well knows that the best way to make me do something is to say that I'm either not allowed to or am not capable of doing it. And secondly, sure, Darunia's been a lot more friendly than Impa, but apparently they both see me the same way: a defenseless little kid incapable of taking care of himself. Well, we'll see about that.  
"Alright, Darunia," I lie easily, "I won't go near it."  
"Thank you," he says, looking relieved. "Now," he continues, "We have been walking all day, and I would be willing to bet that you are hungry. How does dinner sound?"  
"Sounds great. I was beginning to worry that Gorons didn't eat," I reply with a crooked smile.  
"Well, then, follow me." Darunia turns and leaves the room and I follow him out into Goron City's central chamber. As we ascend a staircase, it occurs to me that I've been following people a lot lately. It's not an idea that I like.  
As it turns out, we don't have to go up any more stairs as our destination is on the second floor. We enter a warmly lit room with a large, crude stone table running down the center. There are no chairs; what appears to be the entire population of Goron City is standing around the table, each at his own place. The majority is already devouring food as though they haven't eaten in days. A rare few are talking between slower bites. I can't tell what it is that they are eating, as it does not remain on the table long enough to be seen. Darunia makes his way to the head of the table at the back of the room. I scan the table for a place for me to stand, and, unable to find any place down at this end, go over to stand near where Darunia is. I find one of the few remaining places to stand at the table near its head and step into it.  
Now that I am among the Gorons I can see what it is that they are eating, and that causes my stomach to feel a lot emptier. Rocks. They're eating rocks. The Gorons are shoving countless rocks into their mouths ravenously with no sign of letting up. And they aren't little rocks, either. These are small boulders at least the size of my head. I see a Goron eating an unusually dark rock and realize with a shock that it's actually a bomb. Everywhere I look I can see rocks and bombs, but no food that I would consider edible. Oh crap. I'm famished and there's probably nothing edible from here to Kakariko at the bottom of the mountain. Just my luck, I suppose.  
I stand uncomfortably in the middle of the frenzy, getting hungrier by the second. After a while, a Goron turns to me.  
"Why do you not eat?" he asks. "Does the food displease you, little one? It is quite good." I fight my rising temper as I answer the Goron. Little one?! Okay, so I'm not made of rock. So hang me. I don't want to offend this guy, since he can probably crush my skull with his bare hands. Oh, hell with it.  
"I don't eat rocks," I say with an annoyed glare at the Goron.  
"Why not?" the Goron asks. I've got a question for him: are all Gorons this stupid?  
"Well, I'm not exactly capable of eating them," I explain, hanging on to my last thread of patience. As most people can tell you, I don't have all that much to begin with and one thread won't hold for long. "Do you have anything that I might actually be able to chew?" I ask. The Goron thinks for a second, and then nods his head. He turns to the wall behind him and, after staring at it intently for several seconds, lifts a loose boulder and removes something from the hole beneath it. He replaces the boulder and returns to the table.  
"Here," he says with a warm smile as he places something in front of me. He's retrieved five dark strips of what I'm pretty sure is meat. I pick one up, noticing as I do that it is as stiff as a piece of wood, give it an apprehensive look, and then take a bite.  
It doesn't taste bad; it actually has practically no taste at all. It is, however, nearly impossible to chew. The Goron has gone back to stuffing himself, so he doesn't notice my attempts to make the dried meat fit to swallow. I finally manage to get the first bite down and reluctantly tear off another piece. This stuff may be hard to eat, but I'm starving.  
As I'm finishing off my fourth meat strip I hear the dull sound of rock hitting rock near the end of the table. Looking in the direction of the noise, I see that one of the younger Gorons has thrown a rock at a Goron a few places down. The Goron who was hit throws another rock at his attacker. The rock breaks over the Goron's head as he throws a bomb towards his victim. The bomb falls short, landing in the middle of the table with a rather large explosion. As my eyes recover from the flash of light caused by the explosion I see that not only are the Gorons unharmed, they're all laughing. The only sign of the explosion is a small dent where it struck the table. Now that I think of it, there are a lot of those dents all over this table. I have about half a second to contemplate this, however, because a moment later all hell breaks loose.  
Rocks and bombs are flying through the laughter filled air, some colliding with each other rather than landing. Since the Gorons all seem to be enjoying themselves, I don't see any need to duck until a rock about the size of my fist collides with my head. I drop to the floor, head spinning, and crouch under the table in search of cover. Farore, how could I have been so stupid? There are rocks and bombs flying through the air, and I just stand there. That was smart.  
Summoning my courage, I crawl out from under the table and dash along the wall and out the door of the cavern unnoticed. Once in the main chamber of the city, I descend the stairs to the bottom floor and enter Darunia's throne room. I sit down and lean back against the wall. I feel something warm and wet on my face and reach up to wipe it off. I lower my hand to find my fingers covered in blood. Lovely.  
My eyes sweep the room and come to rest on the throne in the center of its back wall. Only Gorons are allowed in, huh? We'll see about that.  
I stand and walk over to the throne, put my shoulder against it, and push. When it doesn't move, I continue to push harder until it slides sideways an inch or so. I wasn't expecting it to be this heavy, especially since Goron Link moved it so easily. Then again, he is a Goron.  
I continue pushing the throne, gradually making progress. I lean against it to rest as I gaze into the black void that it had hidden. Once I've caught my breath I stand up and head slowly and purposefully into the dark tunnel.  
Within seconds the darkness of the tunnel consumes the light from the throne room and I am forced to feel my way along a tunnel wall. This actually proves to be rather easy, as the tunnel has been straight thus far. The tunnel is obviously short; before a minute has passed a faint red glow begins to grow at the other end of the tunnel. As I near the exit, the temperature of the air around me quickly rises, growing from comfortable warmth to stifling heat in a matter of seconds. The light brightens and the heat continues to rise as I near the end of the tunnel. I am close enough to the exit that I can begin to make out landforms beyond the tunnel's mouth.  
As I step from the tunnel, I am hit by a wave of intense heat. I stagger slightly but steady myself on a boulder before I walk off the edge of the wide ledge upon which I stand. The side of the ledge plummets several hundred feet into bubbling red lava. Many other such ledges range along the soaring walls of the Crater, some connected by wooden bridges. Several towering black cones that appear to be made of ash reach up toward the night sky, which is slightly obscured by smoke. A maze of ledges, bridges, and paths winds across the crater, bridging the lava.  
Several feet in front of me are two posts, which once supported the now severed rope bridge. I stumble towards them until I come to stand at the edge of the precipice. I glare angrily at the remains of the bridge across the gap. I have to get to the small island of rock rising from the lava.  
  
I must get to the Temple.  
  
Why did I just think that? The heat must be getting to my head. It doesn't matter. I have to get to that rock. In my delirium, I take out my hookshot, aim at one of the poles, and flip the switch. The grappling hook shoots forward and deeply embeds itself into the wooden post. I release the catch and the chain pulls me to my destination. Still holding the hookshot, I doggedly make my way across a rope bridge leading to a large, lower rock island. In its center is a white and gray marble platform with a Triforce design on it. There is an unusual symbol in the center of the Triforce design. I hurry past it, my mind blank except for one thought:  
  
I must get to the Temple.  
  
Before I reach the next rope bridge, however, I trip clumsily and fall to my knees, head throbbing. I'm drenched in sweat and it's hard to breath. The world spins as I fall forward onto my face. Maybe that rock hit me harder than I thought. My vision blurs and darkens. It's so hot. so hot. can't breathe. can't think. so. hot..  
  
INTERIM  
Leigh strode purposefully through the smoldering remains of Kakariko Village in the form of a member of the Hyrulian Royal Guard. She was headed toward the burnt skeleton of the house closest to the graveyard entrance. She could see the boy that she had met the day before standing in the midst of the ruined building, his light brown hair darkened by ash and his green eyes worried. His mother stood several feet away in what had once been a chicken pen, her face sorrowful.  
As she approached, the boy bent down and began once more to dig futilely through the ashes. Leigh smiled; he would never find what he was looking for. Her smile quickly turned into a frown, however, as she remembered that she wasn't exactly close to finding it either.  
"You there, boy!" she barked in a male voice. The boy raised his head to look at her. "The inhabitants of Kakariko have been ordered to evacuate to Castle Town. Why do you remain?"  
"We are looking for someone," the women answered, coming towards the guard and her son.  
"Perhaps you will find them in Castle Town," Leigh offered. The woman shook her head.  
"He was not among those who have gone already to Castle Town. My son and I checked many times," she answered.  
"May I ask your name?" Leigh said in an official tone. She supposed she was laying it on a bit thick, but she had never posed as a guard before.  
"My name is Karina, and this is my son, Nealan."  
"And who is it that you are looking for? Your husband?" the "guard" asked. Karina looked down.  
"My husband died twelve years ago," she answered quietly.  
"A son, then?" Leigh asked, pushing for answers. Karina paused slightly before shaking her head.  
"No," she answered, "he is not related to me. He is a good friend of my son's."  
"I see," Leigh answered. "So you have no idea where he is? When did you last hear from him?"  
"He said he was going here," the boy, Nealan, said, speaking for the first time. "There was someone trapped inside and he wanted to save them. She's alive; she told us that he fell through the stairs on the way down, but had said that he was right behind her. Only, when she looked back. he didn't come out. She waited, but he never came. She eventually went to where everyone else was gathering. Some people say that they thought they saw him after that, but no one is sure."  
"I see," Leigh said coldly. "Well, he is obviously dead or elsewhere, so there is no point in remaining here. Come now, the last of the villagers have left already. You must get to Castle Town. I will escort you."  
Fools, she thought. That hero friend of yours is alive and well. And I didn't get anything from them. They have no idea where he is. I've wasted magic on a shift for nothing!  
She turned to leave, but realized that the two Hylians weren't following her. She sighed as she turned to face them. No one was doing what she wanted lately.  
"We should go, Nealan," Karina was saying. "We haven't found anything. There would have at least been bones. Perhaps Link did get out." Her son nodded slowly and stood. As mother and son approached her, something inside of Leigh began nagging at her. The voice was almost always silent; the witches had taught her how to beat it down. It was a voice of kindness, a trait that could get you killed in Gerudo Fortress. It had been silent for nearly four years.  
Tell them that the boy is alive, the voice said. Spare them from their grief.  
Leigh was so surprised that she had thought this that she obeyed the command immediately.  
"Blond boy in green?" she asked quickly. Nealan's head snapped up.  
"Yes. Have you seen him?" he asked eagerly. Leigh nodded.  
"He was headed towards the Castle," she lied. But then again, perhaps it wasn't a lie. Hyrule Castle would be a good place to continue her search. As she looked at the relief in the Hylians' faces, her anger flared.  
Stupid conscience, she thought as she strode off in the direction of Castle Town.  
  
"Link? Hey, can you hear me? Link?" Someone is shaking me by my shoulder. I open my eyes and quickly shut them again against the light. When I open my eyes for the second time, I find my Goron namesake staring me in the face.  
"You're up!" Goron Link says happily before sobering almost immediately. "Boy, are you in trouble," he says in a singsong voice. "My dad was really worried. He told you not to go in there. As soon as he figures out that you're alright, he's gonna kill you." He stands up and walks away, calling over his shoulder, "Good luck!" I try to stand and immediately regret it as the blood rushes from my head and I fall unceremoniously to the ground once more. All right, I'll stand up slowly this time. Unfortunately, Darunia enters just as I have successfully gotten to my feet.  
"Link, are you alright?" he asks with a worried expression.  
"Yeah," I answer warily. Darunia's face clouds with rage at my response.  
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" he roars. "I told you to stay away from there! You could have DIED! What if you HAD died?!" I wonder if he wants me to answer that. Well, I should probably say something before he explodes.  
"Then your problems would be solved," I venture calmly as a revelation hits me. Darunia, who was definitely not expecting this, gives me a puzzled look as his anger ebbs.  
"What do you mean by that? If you were to die, Ganon-"  
"Would be trapped forever."  
"Come again?"  
"If I die then my blood can't be used to resurrect Ganon," I explain, before adding, "Well, you'd have to burn my body or something because I would still have blood if I was dead, but it wouldn't exactly last very long, now would it?" Darunia gives me a hard look, still trying to understand what he's hearing.  
"Link, how can you possibly think." he pauses as anger clouds his face once more. "You weren't trying to KILL YOURSELF, were you?!" he demands furiously. Well, I didn't see this coming. And I thought I was safe. I've just dug myself into a deeper hole than I was in before.  
"No, Darunia, I promise you that I wasn't. I.had to get to the Temple," I say, remembering the thought that had run through my head.  
"What?" Darunia asks, clearly confused. "Why?"  
"I don't know. I just kept thinking that I had to get to some Temple, so. I went. It was strange, almost as though it was a dream or something. I'm not even sure why I had to get there so badly," I answer.  
"Well, my only explanation would be that the heat got to you. Which," he adds, "was eventually what happened anyway. Only Gorons enter Death Mountain Crater because they are the only beings that can survive in it for more than a few minutes. A Goron could live there quite happily for eternity, but the heat is too much for anything else. You have no idea how lucky you were. If one of the Goron's hadn't seen you leave, I never would have gotten to you in time."  
"I'm sorry for going in there." I can't believe Darunia had to save me. Goddess, Impa is going to love this.  
"Well, no harm done, I suppose," Darunia says, his expression still serious. "But you might want to listen the next time someone tells you something, especially if that someone is a Sage." I nod reluctantly. It can't hurt.  
There is a flurry of activity outside the door, accompanied by shouts of "Stop," and, "You can't go in there." Seconds later Impa strides into the room with several Gorons trailing behind her.  
"Darunia," she says urgently, "There is something wrong in the Fire Temple."  
"But I sense nothing unusual," Darunia responds, nevertheless turning toward the entrance to Death Mountain Crater. Impa shakes her head.  
"I know, but the Princess did. It is very small, barely detectable. Even so, this poses a great threat to Goron City. I would advise you to seal all entrances after we leave."  
"'We?'" Darunia questions.  
"The boy is to accompany me back to Castle Town," the Sheikah replies, glancing over at me. The ground rumbles and I catch a fleeting trace of fear in her gaze. "You must destroy whatever is in there as quickly as possible, Darunia. I wish you luck, but I cannot stay here. Farewell." She turns to me. "Come, quickly now," she says dashing out the door. I turn to Darunia.  
" 'The Temple'. you felt it," he says, bewildered. "You knew something was there.. Why are you still here? Go, follow Impa. If you lose her, you'll never hear the end of it." He gives me a rather sad smile.  
"Goodbye. And thanks, Darunia. For saving me, I mean."  
"Don't worry about it," the Goron leader responds. "Now go." At those words, I turn and sprint after Impa, guilt heavy on my shoulders. I have a bad feeling that whatever is in that temple is there because of me. 


	5. Duplicity

**DISCLAIMER**I do not own the majority of characters and situations presented in this story. I do not own The Legend of Zelda or any of its characters. Leigh, Leena, Keman, Aiden, Rhiannon, and several other characters are figments of my imagination.** AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry this took so long to get out, but I've been really busy lately. Anyway, I would like to thank ignorantlygrinning, the Great Susinko, and Kaori Lothelen for reviewing my story (Kaori on multiple occasions). Thanks guys!!*big grin* I really like reviews, so thanks to everyone who's left one so far. If anyone who reads this could leave a review, I'd really appreciate it, even if its criticism (I need all the help I can get : ) ). Thanks. ~Alatariel Sirenial~  
  
Chapter 5  
  
"Hurry!" Impa is dashing through the ashes of Kakariko at a speed I didn't know was humanly possible. I had caught up with her as we left Goron City and have been able to keep up with her so far, but my lungs are burning and I'm beginning to lag behind. We just ran down a mountain, for Farore's sake, and she's still as fast as ever. It's a wonder that she can spare the breath to yell at me.  
"Did you hear me, boy? I said hurry!" she yells, turning her head to look at me as she starts down the stairs that lead out of town. I struggle to catch up with her once more, taking the stairs four at a time when I reach them. Impa stops abruptly at the bottom of the stairs and mounts the white mare waiting there in a fluid motion. I stop beside the horse and lean against a tree, breathing heavily.  
"Get on," Impa commands, motioning to the area of the saddle behind her. I look up at her and shake my head. "That was not a request, boy, now get on!"  
"I. have. a name," I say between gasping breaths as I take out my ocarina. "And there is. no way. in hell that. I am going. to ride on. the same horse. as you. I'm not. a child."  
"You had me fooled," the Sheikah scoffs. I glare at her, put the ocarina to my lips, and play the short melody that is Epona's Song. As the last note fades and I stow my ocarina away, Impa gives one of her trademark exasperated sighs.  
"Are you quite finished?" she asks. "Now, get on. I won't ask again."  
  
"Patience, Sheikah," I say with a crooked grin. My grin widens at Impa's shocked look that I would dare refer to her as "Sheikah". A moment later, hoof beats can be heard as Epona gallops over the small bridge and comes towards me. I greet Epona with a pat on the neck and climb onto her back, giving Impa a gloating look. She ignores me and spurs her horse forward and across the bridge.  
"Come on, girl," I say softly to Epona. "Let's outrun her." Epona leaps forward into a gallop, quickly pulling up alongside Impa and her mount. A second later, Epona is in the lead, racing toward the drawbridge of Castle Town. Her hooves clatter on the wood and then on cobblestones as we enter the town.  
"Boy! Stop! Now!" Impa's voice calls from behind me.  
"I have a name!" I shout back at her.  
"Why you. Link, stop!" Rather surprised at her use of my name, I bring Epona to a halt as Impa comes up behind me. "We are not going to the Castle," Impa says. "Perhaps if you hadn't dashed off you would know that."  
"Well, if you hadn't dashed off in Kakariko you could have told me that," I say, mimicking her voice. The Sheikah glares at me before turning her horse to the left. "Now follow me." I decide to listen to her and nudge Epona into a walk, following the white mare in front of her.  
Castle Town is quiet and empty but for the stray dogs running through the streets. There are one or two lights on in the buildings, but it appears that most of the town is asleep. Impa leads the way through a gap in the houses and onto a short grassy path lined by an iron fence. Wisps of mist twist and swirl across the ground and among the gossip stones beside the path as we near our destination: a tall white stone building with dark pointed coned roofs atop its three towers. It looks almost like a very small castle. Huge wooden doors thrice the height of a man stand ajar, releasing a soft white glow from within. Impa and I dismount and she heads towards the open doors. I hesitate slightly before following her into the building.  
A sourceless light fills the pristine white interior of the place although what appear to be several stained glass windows are dark. The building is composed of one long room with a dark doorway at the other end. Between that doorway, and us however, there appears to be some sort of altar in front of steps leading to the door and, to my surprise, a raised marble area identical to the one in Death Mountain Crater. The only difference is the symbol in the center. I know this place. I know that symbol.  
  
It is the symbol of the Light Temple. This is the Temple of Time.  
  
Impa starts forward, moving slowly now, almost reverently. I walk alongside her as the altar and the dark doorway draw near. We ascend the few steps leading up to the door. I expect Impa to enter, but she stops.  
"You first," she says in a voice that is little more than a whisper. I look at her suspiciously, wondering why she wants me to go first. Is this a trap? Is something waiting for me through that door?  
No, something inside me says. No, it is safe here. We are safe here.  
I step through the door and into the room beyond. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim light, but when they do, I realize with a shock that I recognize my surroundings. This is the room I saw in that vision when I first met Sheik. It is all here: the marble platform engraved with the six symbols, the pedestal, and. the sword.  
As if in a trance, I move forward and step up onto the platform. Walking forward, I come to stand in front of the weapon, looking down at it.  
  
I stand at the edge of the platform, staring up at the sword. A blue ocarina is still clutched in my hand, forgotten now that it has opened the Door of Time. A glowing ball of light hovers around the sword.  
"It's that legendary blade. the Master Sword!" says a high voice coming from the ball of light, "The blade that can only be wielded by the Hero of Time." I have to take that sword. If I do, Hyrule will be safe. That's what Zelda said. I approach the sword, hold its hilt in both hands, and struggle to lift it from its imprisoning pedestal. As it comes free a blue light surrounds me. As the blue brightens to blinding white, a menacing laugh echoes through the Temple..  
  
Shaking my head to clear it, I reach down and grasp the indigo hilt of the sword with my left hand. With a single motion I wrench the sword from the pedestal and hold it in front of me. Blue light consumes me as I stare down at the sword. the Master Sword. my sword.  
The blue light fades and I turn from the pedestal, walking back over to Impa and the entrance to the room. Impa offers me a dark blue scabbard covered with designs in gold. I take it and sheathe the Master Sword as she begins to leave the chamber. I hurry after her, trying to fasten the scabbard to my back as I go. The Sheikah does not speak as she moves swiftly through the Temple, outside, and mounts her white mare once more. I mount Epona and then turn to Impa.  
"Where do we go now? And why do I need this?" I ask, motioning to the sword hilt behind my shoulder.  
"We are going back to Hyrule Castle," she answers in a clipped, quiet voice. "You must not speak so loudly. As for the sword, you are going to learn to use it, even if it kills you." I make a face at her use of the expression and she kicks her horse into a gallop. I can't help wondering why she's so worked up, rushing everywhere and speaking in whispers. But of course, no one tells me anything. Epona starts after Impa once more and we cross the square of Castle Town that is a thriving marketplace during the day. I notice for the first time that there are people huddled against buildings. I recognize them as residents of Kakariko. The fire must have driven them out. Upon closer inspection, I realize that the majority of the people are men: the women and children must have been the first allowed into the houses.  
In an instant we are out of the town and climbing the path to the castle, passing through the gates that are opened by waiting guards. As our horses gallop across the castle drawbridge, I remember that I was here just last night, and now I'm back again. Impa and I dismount and leave our horses in the courtyard. Impa goes through the same door that Sheik and I used last night. She leads me through more corridors and stops at an open door through which faint candlelight is flooding.  
"Get in," she says. As soon as I have entered the room, Impa slams the door behind me. I hear a sound unsettlingly like the scraping of a key in a lock, followed by retreating footsteps. I reach down and try the handle of the door, but it's locked. I can't believe this. Why would Impa lock me in here? Whatever her reason, this is really creeping me out.  
"Hey! Let me out of here!" I yell, banging my fist against the door. As expected, there is no answer. I pound the door for another five minutes without result before turning to scan the room that has become my prison. It's small, not much more than a closet. If I were to stand in the middle with my arms extended I could easily touch both walls. There are no windows, and the room is devoid of any objects whatsoever. I would have expected a room like this to be full of useless things people stored away and forgot. Maybe I could have used some such item to get out of here.  
As I am about to try to get some much needed sleep, I remember the sword strapped to my back. I draw it and slash at the doorknob, hoping to rip it out of the door or to jar the lock open. When this fails after several attempts, I stab the sword forward in frustration. It passes about halfway through the door before stopping. I stare at the sword embedded in the door, reach out, and remove it. Through the new slit in the door, I can see flickering light on a stone wall, but nothing more. For a moment I consider attacking the door with my sword, perhaps cutting a hole through which I can escape, before admitting that it would get me nowhere. What I wouldn't give for a saw.  
Conceding defeat, I sit against the wall facing the door. Why in Din's name did Impa lock me in here? It just doesn't make sense. I can't think about it now, though, since I can't exactly think straight. I really need to get some sleep. It's hard to believe how quickly all this happened. Just two days ago my life was boring, and now something's always happening.  
  
Trying to stretch out and failing miserably because of the size of the room, I settle for curling into a bit of a ball with my arm for a pillow. Tired as I am, sleep doesn't come. After tossing and turning for some time, I eventually doze off but am almost immediately awakened by footsteps outside the door. A key turns in the lock, the door opens, and Impa steps into the room. I shut my eyes, hoping she'll leave me alone if she thinks I'm sleeping. I really don't need her criticism right now. I'm so tired that I am ready to snap, so it's probably best to just feign sleep.  
Impa walks over to me and, to my surprise, hoists me over her shoulder. What does she think she's doing? She carries me out of the room, hitting my head against the door jam in the process. The cut on my head stings afresh as the Sheikah carries me down the hallway. She looks about in all directions and then, apparently satisfied that no one is around, breaks into a run. As she rounds a corner, she trips over the edge of a rug and falls to the ground, dropping me in the process. Giving up on feigning sleep, I stand quickly and see that my sword is already in my left hand. That's funny, as I don't remember drawing it.  
Jumping to her feet, Impa draws the long knife she carries with her and points it menacingly at me.  
"Drop that sword," she says, her voice filled with anger. I can tell by the look on her face that she is angry with herself for once and not with me. I grin crookedly.  
"So, the perfect Sheikah screwed up," I say, gloating.  
"I told you to drop your sword," she says tersely, brandishing the dagger. My mind suddenly goes blank, and I feel a lot more confident. One Sheikah with a knife? This will be easy: I've fought worse. Where did that come from? I can't even use a sword. the blankness fills my mind once again. "Drop it," she commands. I shake my head, still grinning. Impa draws the knife back so that it is level with her eyes and protrudes slightly past her face. She puts her other hand, flat and palm up, beneath the blade, guiding it.  
Impa dashes forward in a blur of motion, thrusting the knife forward as she runs. Without thinking, I step aside to avoid the attack, but the knife still nicks my neck. My body seems to be moving of its own accord; I see the battle as though I am watching it rather than experiencing it. Before I can strike back my attacker leaps away. She immediately follows with the same attack again, but I block it this time. Impa slashes down and I parry and stab at her torso. She deflects the attack with an upward slash and her blade darts forward as I drop to the ground to avoid it. Turning as I rise, I bring my sword in a downward arc, using the added momentum. Impa jumps back to dodge the slash and lands awkwardly. I close in, sword at the ready. Impa barely has time to raise the knife before our blades collide and lock.  
We fight to overpower each other, to almost no avail. Impa's eyes are locked on the crossed blades in apprehension. She knows that the only thing keeping her from defeat is the two feet of steel she now holds in both hands. She's shown so much emotion during this fight. that's not like a Sheikah. And it's definitely not like stone faced Impa. In my short contact with her, I can see that she doesn't let her feelings show. Then why is she letting her emotions go unchecked now?  
Footsteps and shouts echo down the hallway, drawing near. Impa looks in their direction for but a moment, and I use that time to twist my blade and send Impa's weapon flying from her hands. She looks forward once more to find a blade at her throat and a wall at her back. To our left, three figures come bounding around the corner and stop short at the scene before them.  
"For the love of Nayru, what's going on here? Impa?!" The blankness rapidly leaves my mind, and I recognize the voice. That was Sheik.  
"Two of them?!" an unfamiliar voice exclaims, "Lovely."  
"What the.?" someone says in a shocked voice. That voice sounds like Impa. but it can't be. I look over at the group quickly and see, to my shock, Impa standing beside Sheik and a Gerudo. But she's right here in front of me. How can there be two?  
"Impa?" Sheik says, looking utterly bewildered. "But. you're right here.?"  
"Sheik," the Impa in front of me says flatly, glaring at me, "Could you tell this idiot to sheathe his sword?" I match her glare.  
"Uh, Link, could you?" Sheik asks, still in a puzzled daze. I grudgingly sheathe my sword and step back. "Well, um, would someone please tell me what's going on?" Sheik says.  
"Of course," the Impa who attacked me answers. "I retrieved the boy from Death Mountain as the princess ordered, and when we arrived at the castle he attacked me. I must admit, I allowed myself to be caught off guard. That was my own fault, and it will never happen again. But there is clearly something wrong with him," she says, gesturing to me, "he attacked me for absolutely no reason!"  
"Being Sheikah is reason enough," the Gerudo mutters.  
"That will do, Nabooru," Sheik says shortly. Oddly, Nabooru obeys him. "Link," he says, turning to me, "why did you attack Impa?"  
"I didn't!" I say angrily. "She locked me in a closet for hours and then tried to carry me somewhere. But she tripped and dropped me, so I defended myself." Sheik, Nabooru, and the Impa with them all look as though they weren't expecting that. The Impa in front of me stares blankly for a moment before quickly feigning surprise.  
"What kind of story is that?" she asks irritably. "It's ridiculous!"  
"Wait," Sheik says slowly, thinking back to something that was said before. "The princess never said anything about bringing Link back from Death Mountain to me." This apparently has some special meaning, because both Impa's react with a great deal more confusion than they should have.  
"She said there was something dark growing in the Fire Temple," both Impas say in unison. They turn and glower at each other. Sheik gestures for the Impa at his side to continue.  
"Her Highness said that she sensed a darkness in the Fire Temple and sent me to warn Darunia, as it was too small for him to sense yet. She also requested that I bring the boy back with me, just to be safe. I was to lock him in one of the storage rooms on the ground floor until Her Highness could meet with him. She was afraid he might run off. Oh," the Sheikah adds, remembering, "She wanted him to get the sword from the Temple of Time as well." The Impa who is not speaking nods her agreement. By now Sheik is beyond confused.  
"I don't know what to think," he says, shaking his head.  
"I do," Nabooru answers. "One of them is obviously an imposter, so just figure out who it is and chase them off, throw them in the dungeon, whatever you like," she says in a bored voice. "And as for what the princess ordered them to do, I'm sure someone else was impersonating Zelda." She eyes the two Impas before pointing to the one standing by me. "I would start your questioning with that one." Sheik nods and turns to the Sheikah Nabooru pointed to.  
"What was the first technique you taught me?" he asks simply.  
"How to use throwing needles and shurikens," the Impa in question answers without hesitation. In the next breath Sheik leaps at her and she jumps aside, grabbing her dagger as she does so. Sheik wheels round to face her.  
"Wrong," he says, preparing to strike. The false Impa just grins as the blade in her hand glows red and then bursts into flame. She takes a few experimental swings that leave a trail of fire in their wake, and then flicks the blade. The flames extend and lash out like a whip, striking the floor at Sheik's feet before retracting.  
"Don't move," she says with a smile. Wind begins to twist through the hallway and familiar green wisps of light surround the impersonator. The next moment she disappears.  
"That was that Gerudo," I murmur.  
"It had to be," Sheik adds.  
"What Gerudo?" Nabooru asks, curious. "What are you talking about?"  
"A Gerudo burned Kakariko yesterday," Sheik answers, turning to her as a distant bell tolls the hour.  
"Two days ago now," Nabooru says. "Its midnight now. But who's counting?"  
"Nabooru," Sheik inquires, "Do you know of any Gerudo who were near Kakariko or would have burned it?"  
"Kakariko was founded by a Sheikah: there are many Gerudo with grudges from the war that would not hesitate to burn it," Nabooru answers bluntly. Impa nods in grim acknowledgement of the fact as the Gerudo continues. "As for whether or not there were any Gerudo near Kakariko at the time, many of them are out on raids right now. I do not need to keep track of where they go, for it does not really matter so long as they do not foolishly endanger their comrades." At the word "raid" both Impa and Sheik narrow their eyes.  
"If you were not a Sage, Gerudo," Impa says the name like a curse, "I'd-"  
"You'd what, Sheikah?" Nabooru asks with disdain. "Don't flatter yourself. You would never be able to apprehend me. You are unable even to catch the lowest ranked thief among us. If I were not a Sage, bound by duty to be here, you would never be able to find me. I stand before you now willingly. I realize," she says, eyeing the two Sheikah standing before her, "that you do not approve of how we Gerudo make a living. But it is how we survive, and we are, if I may say, pretty damn good at it, so you'd better learn to live with it."  
"Why you.." Impa snarls.  
"What? 'You' what?" Nabooru taunts. "Say it. What am I, Sheikah?"  
"Nabooru, Impa, please!" Sheik says, stepping between them. Both Sheikah and Gerudo glare at each other before turning and heading down the hallway in separate directions.  
"I'm going to bed," Nabooru calls over her shoulder as she saunters off.  
"Thanks for the announcement," Impa mutters, striding down the hall in the opposite direction and turning a corner. I turn to Sheik.  
"What was that?" I ask, speaking up after being silent for so long.  
"It was nothing," Sheik answers with an annoyed half smile. "Just some friendly bickering."  
"Friendly bickering?!" I ask. "It sounded like they wanted to kill each other!" Sheik shrugs.  
"There has always been a deep rivalry between Gerudo and Sheikah, but Impa and Nabooru met under circumstances that required them to work together. They learned to tolerate each other out of necessity and have grown to become very close friends. Each would give her life for the other willingly," he says, wearing a full grin now. "They just like to have fun fighting with each other. It's like. fencing matches with words, if you will. It's a little competition. They weren't serious about any of what you just heard, except for what Nabooru said about our not being able to catch her if she weren't a Sage." He frowns.  
"Sage or not," Sheik continues, "I still don't approve of the Gerudo way of life. Theft is wrong, no matter how you look at it."  
"So those two are actually friends?" I say with doubt in my voice. Sheik nods. "Alright, if you say so. Hey, where do you want me to go?" I ask.  
"Oh," Sheik says as though just realizing I am there. "I guess I'll show you to a room. This way," he says and we start off in the direction Nabooru went. We haven't gone very far before we ascend a curving staircase, our path lighted by the occasional torch. At the top of the stairs is another hallway, this one richly carpeted. We turn left down a corridor and follow it for a bit before Sheik stops and opens a door.  
"You can sleep in here," he says. I enter the room and he adds, "Just don't touch anything but the bed. This room isn't supposed to be in use, and if you mess anything up, the princess will tan both our hides." With that, he closes the door and leaves me alone. Without taking in anything of my surroundings I drop onto the bed and fall into a dreamless sleep.  
I awaken to someone knocking on the door of the room. Opening my eyes, I am blinded by the sunlight streaming in through the room's lone window. Rubbing my eyes, I stand up and go to the door, tripping over a rug in the process. I open the door to see a nervous looking servant standing outside.  
"Oh!" he exclaims, rather surprised that the door opened. "I was beginning to wonder when you would wake up. I have been knocking for the better part of an hour."  
"Sorry about that," I mumble, still out of it. "The door wasn't locked, was it? Couldn't you have just come in and woken me up?"  
"Most do not enjoy others walking in on them. I thought that I would just wait," he answers, looking as though he is asking himself why he didn't just come in and wake me up. "I have been sent to fetch you," the servant continues. "There is a meeting you are to attend. If you would follow me, please, I shall escort you to the great hall." He turns on his heel and scurries away with quick, small steps. I follow him through the winding halls of the castle, still trying to wake up. Soon, we've reached a large staircase leading down, with doors just as large and grand as those outside the throne room at the bottom. Once we have reached the door, the servant pulls open the door and hastily pushes me into the room before shutting the door behind me.  
"Well it's about time," Nabooru says. She and five other people are seated at the end of along table nearest the door. I recognize her, Impa, Darunia, Zelda, and..  
"Din, Nayru, and Farore! Saria?!" I stand gaping at the Kokiri, stunned.  
"Hi, Link!" she exclaims happily, running over to give me a hug. I forgot how short Kokiri were. Saria actually used to be a little taller than me. It's just another reminder that I'm not Kokiri. I glance up to see Zelda looking at me sadly. She meets my eyes and hastily looks away.  
"Saria," I say, smiling, "What are you doing here?"  
"I'm the Sage of Forest," she answers with a grin.  
"No, not you too," I say with a laugh. "Please don't tell me you've become Impa." Saria laughs with her high, bell like laughter as Impa narrows her eyes at me.  
"Oh, Impa," Saria says, "He didn't mean it."  
"Yes I did." Saria and I start laughing again.  
"I realize that you two missed each other, but could you save this for later?" Nabooru asks. "We've lost enough time as it is."  
"Do you realize what time it is?" Impa asks with a glare. "You slept until noon!!" she says icily. I redden slightly.  
"Sorry. I didn't know I was supposed to wake up."  
"That is alright," says a high, unfamiliar voice. "I forgive you." I turn towards the table to find the owner of the voice and am taken aback at the appearance of the stranger. Sitting at the table is a creature that can only be a Zora, one of a race of fish people. Zora look just like Hylians, except they are covered with iridescent blue scales, have webbed feet and hands, and fish like qualities on their heads. This particular Zora has a large flat oval of skin and scales that extend her head to the sides, like a living headdress. Her eyes are actually a beautiful shade of bluish purple. A moment later, I fervently fix my gaze on those eyes, my face bright red, so that I don't look down. Apparently, Zora don't believe in clothing. I mean, I guess with the scales it's more like she's wearing a bodysuit, like a Sheikah, but it's a REALLY tight bodysuit.  
"Aww, Link, sweetie, you're blushing," the Zora says in her high girlie voice. "I knew you missed me." Wait a minute, sweetie?  
"What the hell are you talking about?" I ask nervously. The Zora's eyes suddenly fill with tears and she begins to sob. Saria runs over to comfort her, but the others merely shake their heads.  
"There she goes again," Nabooru mutters.  
"Link doesn't love me anymore!" the Zora sobs, a whining tone in her voice. I am about to comment on this as Zelda intervenes.  
"Link," she says softly so as not to be overheard by the distraught Zora. "Ruto is, ah. very fond of you."  
"Really?" I say sarcastically, "I couldn't tell."  
"Look, she is the Princess of the Zora and the Sage of Water, and we cannot get much done without her relatively calm, so could you do us a huge favor and just humor her for now?" Zelda asks.  
"What??" I demand, "You want me to pretend I love her? There is no way."  
"Look, it is just for now, and you do not have to pretend to love her. Just play along with whatever the Sages and I make up, alright?" Zelda looks at me hopefully.  
"Fine," I sigh. "But just for today." Zelda nods her thanks and walks over to Ruto, motioning for everyone else to sit down.  
"Now, Ruto," Zelda says, sitting beside her, "Link lost his memory, you know that. I am sure that when he remembers everything, he will still love you." She gives me a look over Ruto's head. I sigh and go to sit down next to Ruto. Right. Death Mountain will freeze over before I love that psychotic fish.  
"Really?" Ruto asks.  
"Really," Saria answers with an impish grin from her seat on my right.  
"So you don't remember me?" Ruto inquires quizzically. I shake my head. "Very well," she says, disappointed but satisfied.  
"Can we start now?" Impa asks in an aggravated voice.  
"What exactly are we starting?" Nabooru asks. "What is our purpose here? I thought that you explained everything to him, Zelda."  
"This is just as much for all of you as it is for Link," Zelda answers. "Maybe more so."  
"Then why did we waste time waiting for him?" Impa asks.  
"I did not want the interruption of introductions," Zelda answers coolly, giving Impa a look that says, "I didn't want Ruto flipping out like that in the middle of something."  
"Now," Zelda continues, "We have had some disturbing news. Rauru says that Ganon is growing stronger. He is gathering an army in the Dark World, to be released if he is ever freed. This army is no mere mob of moblins or stalfos: they are demons and all other sorts of dark creatures. They cannot be slain by normal weapons. One can kill them only with a demon weapon or one that is of the light, like the Master Sword. Such blades are impossible to find and very difficult to make. If that army is set free, Hyrule will be destroyed."  
"But it's not going to be freed," Saria says. "Isn't that the point of all this? And, for Ganon and that army to be freed, don't we have to fail in what we're trying to do?"  
"I never said we were going to fail," Zelda replies. "I just thought I would let you all know that the stakes have been raised." Eyes flick about the room for a moment, resting on the occupants before Zelda continues. "Let us have a report on the state of each temple. Saria?"  
"Things are. stirring in the Forest Temple," the Kokiri says, twirling a strand of green hair. Saria only plays with her hair when she's really worried. Things are worse than she is willing to reveal. "The stalfos have returned, and the maze is filled with moblins once more. There are more than before. They are beginning to wander into the Lost Woods. Some have come far to close to the village. They seem to be.waiting for something." The others nod in response to this information, and Impa begins to speak.  
"The darkness is returning to the Shadow Temple. The monsters multiply by the day, and the shadow has awakened. Some roam the graveyard and even the remains of town at night. It is as Saria said: they seem to be waiting. They are not unduly hostile, as though they await the command of some general to attack." I notice that all the Sages stiffen at Impa's mention of "the shadow." Something about it stirs my memory.  
"There is nothing in the Fire Temple," Darunia says, shaking his head. "I sense nothing." Several Sages breathe sighs of relief.  
"That is welcome news," Zelda says, her face still taught with worry.  
  
"The wind is icy in Zora's Domain," Ruto says softly. "I went to Lake Hylia, but I could not enter the Water Temple. A dark energy bars the entrance." Ruto no longer seems foolish. I can see a hint of the Sage she truly is.  
"You think that's bad," Nabooru cuts in. "Guess who's moved back into the Spirit Temple?"  
"Twinrova," I say in unison with Zelda. Everyone stares at me. I don't know where that came from, but it must be right. I remember two dead witches fading away, arguing about which is the elder. Their names come to me as well: Kotake and Koume.  
"That's right," Nabooru says, rather stunned.  
"But. I killed them," I say quietly. More stares.  
"Memory coming back, kid?" Nabooru asks.  
"Do you remember me now?" Ruto asks excitedly in her high voice, once again a silly girl.  
"No," I answer coldly. Then, seeing her eyes fill with tears, I add, "I remember things a little at a time. I'm sure I'll remember you eventually."  
"Well, you may have killed them once," Nabooru says as she steers the conversation back on track, "But they're back now. And worse, some of my Gerudo are siding with them," she says, her face one of disgust. "I've weeded most of the traitors out and have dealt with them accordingly," Saria and Ruto wince, "But others continue to support them. Some of them are still loyal to Ganon," the Gerudo says sadly.  
"Well, it is not like we were counting on the Gerudo in the first place," Zelda says, then, seeing Nabooru's glare, "Oh, Nabooru, I did not mean that the way it sounded. It is just that were are not really depending on anyone other than ourselves at the moment." Nabooru nods her understanding.  
"But shouldn't we start involving others?" Saria asks. "If everything is as you say, the monsters from the temples could attack at any moment. We will need some force to stop them. We could enlist the help of all the races of Hyrule."  
"Even the Kokiri?" Ruto asks. "An army of little ten year olds from the forest, wouldn't that be cute? They'd fight to defend their home. that would be so sweet!" Saria and I both blink at the Zora princess, stunned at her idiotic statement.  
"Sweet?!" I ask in near disgust. "Children dying at the hands of monsters is sweet?"  
"We aren't children," Saria mutters.  
"Saria, you know what I meant," she waves for me to continue and mouths "I was talking to Ruto."  
"And Ruto, they can't even leave the forest," I say.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Ruto says, looking perplexed.  
"Saria had a point. An army? Would that work?" Impa asks.  
"Maybe not an army," Nabooru says, thinking out loud. "If we could train and arm the inhabitants of each area, then they could defend themselves if attacked. I would normally be in favor of an army, but we would just be lining up targets for Ganon's army to destroy. We would be outnumbered at least three to one."  
"Are you sure?" I inquire. "Just how big do you estimate this army to be?"  
"There are countless stalfos and moblins," Impa says. "I would guess eight thousand strong."  
"And our forces?" I ask.  
"Two hundred sixty nine Sheikah," Impa answers.  
"Over five hundred Gerudo, but that's counting the disloyal ones," Nabooru adds.  
"One hundred two Gorons," Darunia says.  
"Eighty Zora," Ruto says.  
"And out of the thousand or so Hylians. perhaps six hundred should be sent into battle. The others are children and elders," Zelda says.  
"So," I say, doing the mental calculations, "that's a little less than fourteen hundred against their eight thousand. You were being optimistic," I say, raising an eyebrow at Nabooru.  
"Pessimistic, actually. Never underestimate your opponent, kid," the Gerudo replies.  
"But eight thousand to fourteen hundred are worse odds than three to one," I say in confusion.  
"You count for at least two thousand, " Nabooru answers with a grin. "Or," she says, correcting herself, "You will as soon as someone teaches you how to fight." She laughs at my surprised look. "Don't looked so shocked, kid. You were an amazing fighter before you.er," she looks at Zelda, "lost your memory."  
"Well, he's barley even decent now," Impa says condescendingly. "And I say barely decent because you did beat that intruder last night."  
"Just so you know," Nabooru says, "That's the closest you'll ever get to a complement from old stone face here." Impa shrugs, not denying it. "Zelda," Nabooru says, turning to the princess, "who's teaching this kid how to fight, anyway?"  
"Not me," Impa says. "I don't need his wisecracks."  
"Wisecracks, eh? Wouldn't happen to be sarcastic, would he?" As Impa nods, Nabooru grins. "I will teach him. Who knows, I might learn something if I can jog that stubborn memory of his."  
"Uh, thanks," I say uncertainly.  
"No need to be worried," Nabooru says brightly. "I don't bite."  
"I would not be so sure," Zelda mutters with a smile.  
"Princess, I'm offended," Nabooru says melodramatically.  
"I think we are done here. We have all been sitting around and waiting for a long time. Lets stop for today and continue tomorrow. If everyone could just remember to see if the can get anyone to fight when they go back home, that would be helpful." Everyone stands up and rushes for the door, eager to get out.  
"I'll talk to you tonight, Link," Saria says on her way out. I head out into the hall, about to go outside, before remembering that I haven't eaten. As if reading my mind, Zelda turns around.  
"There should be some food in your room, Link," she says.  
"Thanks," I say, and rush up the stairs and in the direction of my room. As I walk, I hear something moving behind me. I whirl about to face the other way, but no one is there. I continue on, stopping at intervals to look for the source of the noise behind me.  
Upon reaching my room, I open the door, step inside, and turn around to check the hallway one more time. Unexpectedly, I am bowled over by a blue shape. I fall onto my back with the blue thing on top of me and find myself looking Ruto in the face.  
"Ruto! Get off me!" I shout.  
"Sorry," the Zora begins to answer.  
"Oh!" comes a voice from the door. I turn my head to see Zelda standing in the doorway looking very surprised. "I. sorry, I did not mean to interrupt. I had no idea you two were.." As Zelda trails off, I realize what this looks like.  
"No, Zelda, you've got it completely wrong," I start, red with embarrassment as I push Ruto off of me. Zelda has already started down the hall by the time I stand up. "Zelda!" I call after her. She doesn't even acknowledge me.  
"I'm sorry," Ruto says from the floor. "I didn't mean for you to fall over. But I don't see why she's upset. You're mine, after all." I throw Ruto a disgusted look and head down the hall in the opposite direction that Zelda went. "Link? Are you mad at me, too?" I don't answer. I just need to get out of here. 


End file.
